E-Paper
Won’t let sacrifices of those who died for Telangana statehood go waste: KCR
KCR said the memorial would showcase different phases of the Telangana movement through a huge gallery comprising photographs of the struggle since 1969
Hyderabad
Paying glowing tributes to hundreds of people who had laid down their lives for achieving statehood to Telangana, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday said his government would not let the sacrifices of the martyrs go waste and would lead the state in the path of progress to fulfil their aspirations.
Addressing a gathering after unveiling the Amara Jyothi Telangana martyrs’ memorial on the banks of Hussainsagar to mark the conclusion of the decennial celebrations of Telangana state formation, KCR said the memorial would serve as a constant reminder to the successive governments about the sacrifices of martyrs and make them strive hard for the development of the state.
KCR said the memorial would showcase different phases of the Telangana movement through a huge gallery comprising photographs of the struggle since 1969. He recalled that people from various walks of life, including state government employees, intellectuals and students sustained the movement for more than six decades, despite facing severe hardships.
He said several leaders like Prof. Jayashankar and Konda Laxman Bapuji had struggled to sustain the movement for decades. “We launched the second phase of Telangana movement with a conscious decision to involve neither employees and students in the initial stages. We wanted to avoid any bloodshed which occurred during the first phase of movement in 1969,” he said.
KCR said the Centre was forced to announce the commencement of the process for Telangana formation after he took up fast unto death in 2009. “Unfortunately, the delaying tactics by the Centre led to several youth sacrificing their lives, hoping that it would compel the Centre to deliver the separate State. It is our responsibility to ensure that those sacrifices do not go waste,” he asserted.
The chief minister claimed that his government had ensured that the families of the martyrs were not left in lurch. “After the formation of Telangana, our government provided jobs to the members of such families, besides extending financial assistance and houses. If anyone is left out, they can apply to the state government for support,” he said.
Earlier, the chief minister felicitated the family members of six youngsters who martyred for the cause of Telangana state, including Sankaramma, mother of Srikantha Chary, the first person to die by suicide by immolating himself in full public view for the sake of Telangana state in 2009.
A Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader familiar with the matter said KCR is likely to nominate Sankaramma to the state legislative council under Governor’s quota. “An announcement is expected to be made in a day or two,” he said.
A drone show on the occasion saw 750 drones in the air at the same time. The 15-minute show had 13 formations depicting the achievements of Telangana, including its iconic structures, welfare and development programmes and martyrs. A 30-member team used ‘Made in India’ drones.
