The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Monday criticised Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for what it described as an insult to the memory of Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu, alleging that the State government lacked the will to honour the leader who sacrificed his life for the formation of Andhra State.
The party leaders paid floral tributes to the freedom fighter during a programme to mark his death anniversary at the party central office in Tadepalli on Monday. They reiterated their commitment to carrying forward his ideals of unity among Telugu people.
Former Minister Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao questioned whether a government that claims to spend lakhs of crores on projects such as Amaravati was incapable of allocating funds for installing a statue of Potti Sriramulu. He termed the suggestion of collecting public donations for the statue as shameful and a “direct insult” to a leader whose sacrifice belonged to all the Telugu people.
Citing government expenditure on other memorials, including ₹11 crore spent on a DPR for an NTR statue and official funding for Ramoji Rao memorial events, he asked why similar respect was not shown to Potti Sriramulu.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao also criticised the government for changing Andhra Pradesh Formation Day from November 1 to June 2, stating that the move undermined the legacy of Potti Sriramulu. He recalled that former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had restored November 1 as State Formation Day through a government order in 2019 and ensured its observance during his tenure.
MLC Lella Appi Reddy said that Potti Sriramulu’s sacrifice would be remembered as long as the Telugu people existed.
YSRCP SC Cell State president and former MLA T.J.R. Sudhakar Babu accused the present government of repeatedly disrespecting Potti Sriramulu’s legacy and warned that the party would strongly oppose any further such actions.
The YSRCP leaders said that honouring Potti Sriramulu was the responsibility of the State and not a matter for public charity.
Published – December 15, 2025 07:05 pm IST
