The President of India Droupadi Murmu invoked the Telugu movie Alluri Sitarama Raju and the song by Sri Sri “Telugu veera levara... Deeksha booni saagara (Take a vow and move forward)’ while paying tribute to the freedom fighter at the closing ceremony of the celebrations of his 125th birth anniversary in Hyderabad on Tuesday.
“Children still remember the song that fills them with pride,” said the President who described Alluri Sitarama Raju’s struggle against injustice and exploitation as a proud chapter in India’s freedom struggle. She said that all Indians, especially the younger generation, should be aware of his patriotism and courage.
Earlier, she went around an exhibition of paintings showing the life and times of the freedom fighter. The President said that the character of Alluri Sitarama Raju is an example of uniting society without any discrimination based on caste and class. She dwelt on how Sitarama Raju worked with the tribal people of the Agency areas, in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, and united them to fight against the British. “He is being remembered as a tribal warrior and it is his true identity. He kept fighting for the rights of the tribal society till his martyrdom,” she said.
The President said that working selflessly and fearlessly for the well-being of the deprived sections of society is the message to be drawn from the life of Alluri Sitarama Raju. She added that we could pay him real tribute only by adopting his ideals in our conduct. She urged all to adopt the values and ideals of Alluri Sitarama Raju in the interest of society and the country.
Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, Union Minister of Culture G. Kishan Reddy joined the President in paying rich tributes to the freedom fighter.
