Mahatma Gandhi remembered

Khammam: The 148th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was celebrated on a grand note here in Khammam on Monday. District Collector DS Lokesh Kumar paid rich floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Collectorate Camp Office on the occasion.

Addressing a gathering, the Collector said the real tribute to Mahatma Gandhi was to follow the path of non-violence and peace shown by him.

“Everyone must take Gandhiji as an inspiration who brought all people under one roof to fight against British to earn freedom for the country following the path of peace and non-violence,” the Collector said.

On the day, the Congress party leaders and activists paid floral tributes to the photo of Mahatma Gandhi at Sanjeeva Reddy Bhavan in Khammam on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, district president of the party Aitham Satyam said Mahatma Gandhi was a great freedom fighter, who lead the movement with non-violence in earning freedom to the country. He urged the youth to take Mahatma Gandhi as an inspiration and follow his path of peace.

Later, the leaders of the party by visited Gandhi Chowk, Gandhi Park, Grain Market road, Gandhi Nagar and Saint Joseph Street in Khammam city and garlanded the statues of the Father of the Nation. Congress leaders’ N Deepak Chowdari, Tajuddin, Md Fazal, Ramulu Naik, Jai Rak, Kotha Sitharamulu and the corporators YB Tilak and V Narasimha Rao were present.

At DPRO office, tributes were paid to the Father of the Nation by the District Public Relations Officer Valloju Srinivas Rao along with the staff. Publicity Assistant A Ramesh, Typist Srinivas Rao, Pratap Pothan, Chava Narayana Rao, S Manga, Saidulu and Battula Srinivas Rao were present along with others.

In Kothagudem, District Collector Rajiv Gandhi Hanumanthu paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of latter’s birth anniversary on Monday. He said the Mahatma had dedicated his life to the people and the country.

The Collector recalled Gandhiji’s visit to South Africa during which he was shaken by the apartheid and moved to take up ‘Satyagraha’ to enlighten the masses about the importance of human values.

“From that time till his death, he used truth and non-violence as weapons to liberate the country from the hold of the British,” the Collector noted.

Stating that the Swachh Bharat programme was inspired from the Gandhiji, Hanumanthu said the administration has been striving to make the district open defecation-free. Joint Collector Ram Kishan, RDO Ravindranath, Collector’s OSD Kiran Kumar, Collectorate staff Shankar Rao, B Venkateshwarlu, Manikumar and others paid tributes to the Father of the Nation on the day.

In Nalgonda, MP Gutha Sukender Reddy and TSFDC Chairman Banda Narennder Reddy garlanded the statue of Mahatma Gandhi located at Ramagiri in Nalgonda town. Speaking on the occasion, they praised the Mahatma for achieving independence for the country through non-voilence.

“Since the majority of the people in the country are dependent on agriculture, Telangana government is taking all possible measures to protect the interests of farmers. The government has decided to provide Rs 8,000 to farmers next year,” Gutha added.