PM unveils statue of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju in AP

July 04, 2022 13:21

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled a 30-ft bronze statue of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju on the latter's 125th birth anniversary in Andhra Pradesh's Bhimavaram.

The 15-tonne statue was carved out at a cost of Rs 3 crore and installed by the Kshatriya Seva Samiti in the Municipal Park at ASR Nagar in Bhimavaram, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, former Union Minister and film star K Chiranjeevi and others were present on the occasion.

The dignitaries paid floral tributes to Raju on the occasion.

Modi felicitated Alluri Srirama Raju, Alluri's nephew, and Bodi Dora, son of Alluri's close lieutenant Mallu Dora. Popularly known as Manyam Veerdu' (Hero of the Forest), Sitarama Raju, also referred to by his surname Alluri, was born on July 4, 1897 at Pandrangi village in the then Visakhapatnam district.

According to history, the regular patriotic discourse during the freedom struggle had a strong influence on Alluri since his childhood. Following the death of his father, his schooling got disrupted and he went on a pilgrimage and toured the western, northwestern, north and northeastern India during his teens. The socio-economic conditions in the country under the British regime, particularly in the tribal areas, deeply moved him.

During those journeys, he met revolutionaries in Chittagong (now in Bangladesh). Alluri then made up his mind to build a movement against the British. He organised the local Adivasis in the forest areas along Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts into a potent force to launch a frontal attack.

Thus was born the 'Rampa Rebellion' or the 'Manyam Uprising', in the Rampachodavaram forest area in the erstwhile East Godavari district, which rattled the mighty British forces. Using the Adivasis' traditional weapons, bows and arrows and spears, Alluri spearheaded many an attack on the British forces and became a thorn in their flesh.

He, however, realised that traditional weaponry was no match against the heavily armed British forces and, hence, planned to snatch the enemy's own weapons.

The famed attack on the Chintapalli police station on August 22, 1922, with over 300 revolutionaries was the first in the series, which ended in a haul of firearms. The sheer audacity of Alluri in warning, in advance, the police of the date and time of the attack left the British stunned.

He enlisted the booty and signed the station diary after the attack, making it his hallmark.

He led similar attacks later on Krishnadevi Peta and Raja Ommangi police stations.

The revolutionaries under Alluri's leadership snatched weapons and armoury in all such attacks. A large contingent of Reserve Police personnel from Visakhapatnam, Rajahmundry, Parvatipuram and Koraput was rushed to these areas led by British officers and, in the skirmish that ensued, two -- Scot and Heiter -- were killed by the revolutionaries on September 24, 1922, and several others wounded.

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