Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu unveiled a 58-feet-tall statue of Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu in Amaravati on Monday.
The bronze statue of Potti Sriramulu has been installed as the Statue of Sacrifice at Sakhamuru Park to reflect the sacrifice he made for the creation of a separate state for Telugu-speaking people.
The government has developed the park and installed the statue in memory of Potti Sriramulu, who died in 1952 after a 58-day hunger strike in Madras demanding a separate state for Telugu people.
The statue unveiling to mark the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Potti Sriramulu was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Minister Nara Lokesh, state BJP president PVN Madhav, ministers and other public representatives.
The first phase of the project, undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore, has been completed on 6.80 acres of land.
Officials said the Potti Sriramulu Memorial Trust completed the construction of the 58-ft statue in a record time of just six months. A total of 26 tonnes of bronze and 42 tonnes of iron structure were used for the statue.
In the second phase, a museum, photo gallery, auditorium and skill development centre will be constructed at the site.
Speaking on the occasion, Chandrababu Naidu said that Potti Sriramulu is synonymous with sacrifice. He said the great leader was not confined to one caste but belonged to everyone, and he sacrificed his life to get recognition for the entire Telugu community.
“We have the Statue of Liberty, and we have the Statue of Unity. Now, Andhra Pradesh has the Statue of Sacrifice,” he said.
The Chief Minister emphasised that everyone must learn about Potti Sreeramulu’s sacrifice and draw inspiration from him.
“Potti Sriramulu demonstrated the true potential of the Telugu people during an era when they lacked even a distinct identity. He actively participated in numerous movements. While Mahatma Gandhi secured independence through the philosophy of non-violence, Potti Sriramulu achieved statehood through the ultimate act of self-sacrifice,” he said.
He noted that it was after Potti Sriramulu’s sacrifice that the Central government paved the way for the formation of states based on linguistic lines.
Chandrababu Naidu said that over the course of five decades, Potti Sriramulu engaged in relentless struggles over various issues. Even after enduring the tragedy of losing his wife and children, he suppressed his personal grief and continued to fight for the nation. He fought for temple entry rights for Dalits, and for this, he undertook a hunger strike for 29 days.
Stating that the Telugu people must remember the sacrifice made by Potti Sriramulu, the Chief Minister said that they faced numerous challenges throughout history.
He recalled that Andhra State was formed with Kurnool as the capital, and later Hyderabad was made the capital of Andhra Pradesh. In 2014, the new state of Andhra Pradesh was formed with Amaravati as its capital.
Chandrababu Naidu slammed the previous government of YSRCP for playing what he called a divisive game in the name of three capitals between 2019 and 2024.
“They spoke of three capitals but created a situation where there was effectively no capital at all. Now, Amaravati is being developed as the people’s capital,” he said.
(IANS)
