Rename-Vizag demand rekindled

Visakhapatnam: The demand to rename the Visakhapatnam district after

Alluri

Seetharamaraju surfaced again on the 120th birth anniversary of the revolutionary hero on Tuesday.

Alluri is still referred to as Manyam Veerudu (Hero of Jungles) by the agency people of East Godavari and Visakhapatnam. He fought the British for the rights of the tribals by carrying out an armed struggle with the traditional bows and arrows. Demanding the governments at state and centre to recognise the heroic agitations of Alluri, several people’s organisations and political parties had in the past urged the successive governments to develop his birth place Pandrangi and his grave at KD Peta as historic tourist places and also rename Visakhapatnam district after him.

Once again on the occasion of Alluri birthday, the Alluri Yuvanjana Sangham, CPI and voluntary organisations like Sneha Jyothi reiterated their demand to the state government to immediately rename the district after Alluri.

“Chandrababu Naidu had promised to fulfil our demands once he assumed power. Though Alluri’s birth and death anniversaries got official recognition, we want the government to rename Vizag district as Alluri district at least now. A statue of Alluri should be installed in the premises of Parliament,” said Sneha Jyothi Swacchanda Samsta founder president Zaheer Ahmad.

Alluri’s 71-year-old nephew Satyanarayana Raju of Bhimavaram in West Godavari had sat on a hunger strike in 2011 in front of the Vizag collectorate demanding the rename. “After six days of hunger strike, the then opposition TDP leaders including Errannaidu K visited me and assured that if the TDP wins the next elections they would take care of the demand,” Satyanarayana Raju told TOI.

CPI state assistant secretary J Satyanarayana Murthy said that the rebel leader deserves such an honour. “We will chalk out an action plan soon to press on with the demand,” he said.

Some organisations want the government to club the agency areas spread in five northern AP districts to form a tribal district and name it after Alluri.

Roads and buildings minister Ch Ayyanna Patrudu who participated in the birth anniversary events at KD Peta on Tuesday said that the government would develop a museum of Alluri with an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore there.

“We will take necessary steps to honour the freedom fighter who has inspired the people of undivided AP,” Patrudu said.