Amaravati: The three-day Andhra Pradesh Formation Day celebrations began on an optimistic note with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressing hope that there will be a silver lining ahead as we emulate the ideals of great leaders who strived for the nation and the country and move forward with development agenda.
Speaking at the main function held at Indira Gandhi Stadium here on Friday, the Chief Minister said, despite the short comings, we will put the state on the development path giving priority to education, medicare and agriculture besides other sectors and move forward with the Navaratnas agenda by emulating the spirit of the great freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country and the state.
The fruits of our efforts and hard work were left behind at Madras and Hyderabad in 1953 and 2014 and we have to start afresh the process of development and we will go forward and shape a new Andhra Pradesh, he said.
Potti Sriramulu had become a martyr after fasting for 58 days to upkeep the pride of Telugu pride and his sacrifice has a place of pride in our hearts, he said.
We are proud to celebrate the Formation Day since 1956 and recall the contributions made by great personalities like Alluri Sitarama Raju, Tangaturi Prakasam, Pattabhi Seetharamiah, Gouthu Lachchanna and many other educationists, reformists, journalists and who laid the social foundation of our state. From 2014, we started the journey afresh as our contribution and hard work was left behind and the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh with 13 districts has to move forward.
When Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy was alive, no one imagined that the state would be bifurcated but in the 29 states, we are left behind. But we will go forward with the Navaratnas and fight the social evils to drive out illiteracy, poverty and help the downtrodden to give them a better future and plan for the generation next.
The Formation Day is being celebrated after a gap of five years and I am proud to honour the family members of freedom fighters. Potti Sriramulu became a martyr after 58 days of fasting demanding separate Andhra.
Earlier, the family members freedom fighters were honoured on the occasion. The granddaughter of Potti Sriramulu, Prof. Revathi thanked the Government for the recognition and recalled the sacrifice made by her grandfather who became a martyr and recalled the proud moment of her life when sat in the lap of Mahatma Gandhi. Family members of Pingali Venkaiah, who designed the national flag, Tangaturi Prakasam panthulu, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Kanneganti Hanumanthu, Gadicherla Hari Sarvothama Rao, Damodaram SAnjeevaiah, Tenneti Viswantham were among those who were honoured on the occasion.
Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan in his address has traced the history of Andhra and the contribution of Telugu people during the freedom struggle and Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan besides the importance of Vijayawada during the movement.
The Governor and Chief Minister had visited the stalls of handlooms and handicrafts and later sat down to see the mythological play Maya Bazar staged by the popular troupe Surabhi.
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