Youth must learn spirit of sacrifice, unwavering commitment from freedom fighters: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday appealed to the youth to learn the spirit of sacrifice and unwavering commitment from India's freedom fighters. The Vice President's views came in his Facebook Post as he visited the birthplace of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju in Andhra Pradesh.

As the country celebrates Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Naidu said, "We must recollect the innumerable sacrifices of our freedom fighters and take inspiration from their patriotic zeal." "It is important to remember that these heroes fought not merely for an abstract geographical entity but to free millions of people from oppressive and unjust British rule," he added.

"Our youth must learn the spirit of sacrifice and unwavering commitment from our freedom fighters. They must imbibe the core values of honesty, dedication and selfless service. They must never compromise on those whatever be the exigency," said the Vice President. As he left the village of Pandragi near Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, after interacting with the family members of the great revolutionary, Naidu said, "I felt elated as it marked a very special day in my life and urge everyone, particularly the youth to visit the birthplaces of such great national heroes and seek inspiration by reliving their stories".

The freedom fighter, tribal leader, 'Manyam Veerudu' (hero of the jungle), the great Alluri Sitarama Raju mobilised the people, particularly tribals and forest dwellers to fight against the British, said the Vice President. "I was greatly blessed to have visited the birthplace of this remarkable hero in Pandrangi today. The awe-inspiring patriotic spirit Shri Alluri left for Telugu people to follow - for many decades now and many more generations to come - seemed to be reverberating through the village."

Being his ardent follower since my student days, the trip today will certainly count as one of the most memorable ones in my life, Naidu mentioned. "Shri Alluri did not hesitate to lay down his life to free the motherland from the shackles of the British yoke. He did not flinch when facing the might of the British empire. His conviction, commitment, selfless dedication and sincerity were unshakeable as he galvanised the tribals to fight against the injustices of the British."

Born in Pandrangi on July 4, 1897, into a humble middle-class family, Naidu further said, Alluri was motivated by the nationalistic struggle that was underway from an early age. Travelling to various parts of India, Naidu said Alluri found his cause with the tribal people and their issues of displacement and oppression under the draconian laws of the colonial rulers.

When he was 22, the Vice President said, Alluri started working with the Adivasis in the Eastern Ghats of the Visakhapatnam and Godavari districts. "Understanding that their major grievance was the 1882 Madras Forest Act, he rallied the support of tribals, farmers and others who bore the injustices by the British and built a strong team of followers. With tactics like guerilla warfare, he struck terror in the hearts of the British by attacking the police stations and decamping with weapons.

"It is said that all the attacks ended with a trademark letter signed by Shri Alluri himself, giving details of the raid in the station diary," said Naidu. Finally, after shining as one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of Indian freedom heroes, Shri Alluri was martyred on May 7, 1924.