Ravi Narayan Reddy Award befitting for Justice Sudarshan Reddy: CM

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, on Monday said that it is fitting that the Ravi Narayan Reddy National Award has been bestowed upon Justice B Sudarshan Reddy.

He congratulated the organisers for taking the right decision at the right time. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy praised that while Burgula Ramakrishna Rao and Ravi Narayan Reddy inspired the first generation, people like Jaipal Reddy and Sudarshan Reddy have inspired the later generation of Telangana society.

He recalled that in 2019, he had requested Jaipal Reddy to remain in politics, as he believed that committed and questioning individuals should be in politics. At that time, Jaipal Reddy told him that the generation had changed, that he was distancing himself from direct politics, and encouraged the younger generation to be in politics.

The Chief Minister said that Jaipal Reddy and Ravi Narayan Reddy were great leaders, who respected the changes in society and the thoughts of the people. He said that Justice Sudarshan Reddy’s commitment frightens Modi, which is why Rahul Gandhi fielded him as a candidate for the Vice Presidency.

He recalled that Sudarshan Reddy contested the elections against the rule of a single party and a single individual, with the aim of instilling the spirit of democracy in the people. The Chief Minister stated that it is fitting to present the Ravi Narayan Reddy award to such a person.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that Ravi Narayan Reddy was a great man, who played a key role in the armed peasant struggle against anarchic forces. He was praised as a great man who, despite being born into a feudal family, donated his 500 acres of land for the poor.

He fought against monarchical rule and for the liberation from forced labour. He was remembered as a great man who influenced even illiterate people like Bandi Yadagiri, who awakened Telangana society with his song “Bandenaka Bandi Katti, Padaharu Bandlu Katti” (a song about connecting cart after cart, sixteen carts in total).

He was elected as a Member of Parliament with a larger majority than even the country’s first Prime Minister, Nehru. The Chief Minister stated that Nehru had Ravi Narayana Reddy inaugurate the first Parliament building to reflect the people’s mandate. He described Ravi Narayana Reddy as a great leader who, at the age of sixty, inspired the people by stepping down from party and political positions. He remarked that in this era, some people are unwilling to relinquish their positions even after being defeated by the people.

The Chief Minister stated that after the municipal elections, steps would be taken to give Ravi Narayana Reddy the respect he deserves.