The Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, in an initiative to spread Gandhian ideology, has distributed 500 statues of the Mahatma in Vizianagaram district.
The statues, given away by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Deputy Speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad at the Vizianagaram Police Grounds on Tuesday, will be sent to selected schools, colleges and villages for installation on October 2, the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation.
On Tuesday, a rally was led by the Smaraka Nidhi's office-bearers from the historic P.V.G. Raju family bungalow, where Gandhiji stayed for a couple of days in December 1933, to the Police Grounds, originally established to train British forces. About 50 students of the Gurajada Educational Society dressed up like Gandhiji for the event, and an enormous statue of the Mahatma was unveiled at the Police Grounds.
Former Union Minister P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Vizianagaram Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal and Superintendent of Police G. Palaraju attended the event. Mr. Prasad said, “Gandhism has a lot of relevance to society, in light of the continuing violence.” He was referring to the recent murder of Araku MLA K. Sarveswara Rao.
Additionally, the Smaraka Nidhi’s Srikakulam wing is set to unveil 150 statues of Gandhiji on Wednesday.
