Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Tributes paid to Gouthu Latchanna

VISAKHAPATNAM: Senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said today's politicians should draw inspiration from the selfless struggles and crusades taken up by Sardar Gouthu Latchanna for improving the lot of the weaker sections.

He was speaking at a meeting after Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Daggubati Purandeswari unveiled a bronze statue of the veteran leader near the district court here.

Several leaders, including TDP Polit Bureau member K. Yerran Naidu, MP from Machilipatnam K. Narayana, Mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao, Congress MLA Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao, TDP MLA V.R.K. Babu and former BJP MLA K. Haribabu paid rich tributes to Sardar Latchanna.

The Sardar's son Gouthu Sivaji, a former Minister, expressed his gratitude to the GVMC for installing the statue at an important junction.

Stating that in today's politics grabbing power at any cost was the only mission of many, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu said Sardar Latchanna was a tall leader who fought throughout his life for upholding high values in society. “Today's politicians and youth should emulate his ideals,” he said.

Recalling his association as Janata Party MLAs in the Assembly after the Emergency and their arrest during arrest during Jai Andhra movement and other agitations, he said during his student life, he got attracted towards ‘Sardar' Latchanna.

He said the ‘Sardar' had changed several parties from the Congress, Swatantra, Democratic Congress Front and other parties as he did not compromise on his beliefs and principles. He never hankered after power and posts and the youth should emulate his ideals, he said.

Ms. Purandeswari said if Martin Luther King was considered America's Gandhi and Nelson Mandela Africa's Gandhi, Latchanna could be called as the Gandhi of weaker sections for his relentless struggle for their socioeconomic development.

Mr. Yerran Naidu said, “Sardar Latchanna, who hailed from Sompeta in Srikakulam had become undisputed leader of the backward classes. He had such a devotion towards his guru N.G. Ranga that he gave up his Srikakulam Lok Sabha seat without taking oath just to enable his guru to enter the Lower House after his failure to win from the Chittoor constituency.

He said Sardar Latchanna was credited with leading the Mandasa peasants' struggle and maintaining a regular rapport with all the villagers of Srikakulam district.

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