Potti Sriramulu a Great Patriot and freedom fighter: Bandi slams State resolution
Bandi Sanjay pulls up TG govt Potti Sriramulu name use
Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Sunday expressed deep anger over the resolution introduced in the State Assembly to remove the name of Potti Sriramulu from Telugu University. He praised Potti Sriramulu as a great patriot, Gandhian, freedom fighter and revered leader of Arya Vaishya community.
"We respect Suravaram Pratap Reddy. He has worked hard for the progress of the Telugu language. We have no objection to naming the government's programs for the development of the Telugu language after him. But it is not right to remove the name Potti Sriramulu and insult him," he said.
On the occasion of Potti Sriramulu birth anniversary, Sanjay garlanded the statue of Potti Sriramulu in Karimnagar town and paid tributes. On the occasion, he participated in the food distribution program organized by the leaders of the Arya Vaishya Sangam and personally provided breakfast to the poor. Later, the leaders of the Arya Vaishya Sangam submitted a petition to Bandi Sanjay expressing their objection to changing the name of Potti Sriramulu from Telugu University.
Speaking on the occasion, he lamented that CM Revanth Reddy removed Potti Sriramulu's name and proposed Suravaram Pratap Reddy's name out of his casteism following a proposal from CPI. He expressed his concern that the CM's behavior had hurt the sentiments of patriots, freedom fighters and Arya Vaishyas. He requested that this be stopped immediately and that the Governor be asked not to approve the assembly resolution.
Bandi Sanjay said Potti Sriramulu was not only an immortal who sacrificed his life for the formation of Andhra State, but also a great patriot, a freedom fighter and a person who left a good job and property and fought for the country. “A favourite of Mahatma Gandhiji, Sri Ramulu participated in the Salt Satyagraha in 1930 and was imprisoned. He participated in the Satyagraha and Quit India movement and was imprisoned thrice. He worked for the spread of the Charkha. A leader who fought many battles for the Harijan movement,” he recalled.
He criticised that it had become a habit for the Congress party to insult great people. “Back then, it even insulted Ambedkar at every step. It also tried to brand Potti Sriramulu, who had started a death fast for a separate State, as a madman,” he alleged.
