Andhra Pradesh Special Chief Secretary Rajat Bhargava (Tourism and Culture) on Thursday, June 30, inspected the arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bhimavaram town in Andhra Pradesh on July 4, to unveil the statue of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The Prime Minister will reach Vijayawada airport at Gannavaram by a special flight from Hyderabad and fly by helicopter to Bhimavaram in West Godavari district. From 11 am to 12.15 pm, Modi will take part in the commemoration ceremony of the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju.
The Prime Minister will unveil a 30-ft bronze statue in Bhimavaram Park and address a public meeting. He will fly back to New Delhi from Vijayawada airport at 1.10 pm, according to the tentative schedule released by the Prime Minister's Office. Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy sent an invitation to Telugu Desam chief Chandrababu Naidu to attend the event. Kishan Reddy also spoke to Chandrababu Naidu over the phone and the latter informed that TDP state president K Atchannaidu would represent him at the event.
The Union Minister also invited film star and former Union Minister Chiranjeevi to Alluri's 125th birth anniversary celebrations. Rajat Bhargava said arrangements were in full swing for the PM's visit. Four helipads have been readied while the Special Protection Group personnel were taking care of security measures, the Special Chief Secretary added.
Alluri Sitarama Raju led the Rampa Rebellion of 1922 against the British Raj’s Madras Forest Act of 1882 which restricted the land rights of tribal people. He is said to have been deeply moved by the socio-economic conditions in tribal areas under British rule during extensive travels. He worked among the tribal residents of the ‘Manyam’ areas near Visakhapatnam and Godavari and mobilised them against the atrocities of the British police, forest and revenue officials.