Jyotiba Phule’s services to society immeasurable: CS

Velagapudi (Guntur district): Chief secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad has said that the services provided by Mahatma Jyoti Ba Phule in various social issues such as abolition of caste system in the society and the promotion of women’s education are immeasurable. He participated in a programme held at the first block of the state Secretariat here on Thursday to commemorate the death anniversary of Jyotiba Phule and paid tributes to the portrait of Phule.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief secretary said that the efforts made by Jyotiba Phule in the eradication of untouchability and caste system, and in providing education to women and people from the backward castes are invaluable. He said Phule opposed child marriages and supported the right of widows to remarry. At that time, he strived hard to promote social equality in the society, unite the lower classes and remove the socio-economic barriers created due to the caste system. On this occasion, the chief secretary recalled that Jyotiba Phule founded ‘Satyashodhak Samaj’ (Truth Seekers Society) in 1873 to reverse inequalities.

Similarly, the chief secretary said that Jyotiba Phule wrote plays like ‘Trithiyaratna’ and many poems to inform the lower classes about how much they were being deceived by religious hatred. He also said that the books he wrote like ‘Gulamgiri’ reflected the trends of the contemporary society of that time. Neerabh Kumar Prasad stated that Jyotiba Phule established special shelters for widows, orphaned women and infants.

CM’s principal secretary M Ravichandra, CMO secretaries A V Rajamouli, and Pradyumna, GAD (political), I&PR secretary S Suresh Kumar, services secretary P Bhaskar and others paid floral tributes to the portrait of Phule.

Many Secretariat officials and employees participated in the programme.