Karimnagar (Telangana), Mar 16 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, strongly condemned the Telangana Assembly's resolution to remove Potti Sriramulu's name from the Telugu University.
He hailed Potti Sriramulu as a revered patriot, Gandhian, and freedom fighter, deeply respected by the Arya Vaishya community. Bandi Sanjay questioned the rationale behind changing the name of such a prominent figure.
"We respect Suravaram Pratap Reddy for his contributions to the Telugu language. We have no objection to his name being associated with government programs promoting the language. But removing Potti Sriramulu’s name is an insult," he stated.
On Potti Sriramulu’s birth anniversary, Bandi Sanjay paid floral tributes at his statue in Karimnagar town on Sunday.
He also participated in a food donation program organized by the Arya Vaishya Association, where he personally served meals to the poor.
Later, Arya Vaishya leaders submitted a petition to Bandi Sanjay objecting to the renaming of Potti Sriramulu Telugu University.
They accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of changing the name due to caste favoritism, following a proposal from CPI leaders. They expressed their anguish, stating that this decision hurt the sentiments of patriots, freedom fighters, and the Arya Vaishya community. They urged immediate intervention to prevent the resolution’s approval by the Governor.
Addressing the gathering, Bandi Sanjay highlighted Potti Sriramulu's legacy, emphasising that he was not only a martyr who sacrificed his life for the formation of Andhra State but also a dedicated freedom fighter.
He noted that Sriramulu left a lucrative career to serve the nation, participated in the 1930 Salt Satyagraha, and was imprisoned three times during the Quit India Movement. Sanjay also praised Potti Sriramulu’s efforts to promote the spinning wheel (charkha) and uplift Harijans.
Recalling Mahatma Gandhi’s words, Bandi Sanjay quoted, "If I had ten people like Potti Sriramulu, India would have gained independence much earlier." He questioned why such a legendary figure’s name should be removed and disrespected.
Bandi Sanjay accused the Congress party of having a history of insulting great leaders. "They repeatedly humiliated Ambedkar and even tried to label Potti Sriramulu as a madman for his hunger strike demanding a separate state," he alleged.
He further questioned, "The Congress government removed Potti Sriramulu’s name citing his Andhra roots. Do they have the courage to remove NTR’s name from NTR Park? Will they erase the names of Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, or Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy from public landmarks? Will they dismantle the statues of Andhra leaders on Tank Bund as well?"
Bandi Sanjay demanded that the Congress government rectify its decision and restore Potti Sriramulu’s name to Telugu University. He also urged CM Revanth Reddy to apologize to the Arya Vaishya community and all patriots.
UNI VV KK