Hyderabad, Jun 22 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday inaugurated the ‘Telangana Martyrs Memorial – Amara Jyoti’ (perpetual light) built by the state government here in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of a separate Telangana state.
Speaking on the occasion, Rao recalled the agitation for Telangana statehood held in 1969, including the death of about 400 people, and later when he took up indefinite fast in 2009.
He said no leader in the world might have come under such criticism from political opponents the way he was targeted by those who favoured keeping Andhra Pradesh united.
Yet, he was not perturbed by the political onslaught.
Averring that he had begun the indefinite fast, willing to sacrifice his life, Rao said he was, however, anguished when youth sacrificed their life in support of statehood.
The Telangana government helped the kin of the “martyrs”, by providing jobs and financial assistance, and would extend help to any others who have still not received it, he said.
The state government would facilitate the visit of foreign delegates or guests from other states in India to the memorial to pay floral tributes, Rao said.
On the occasion of the memorial’s inauguration, police fired in the air as a mark of respect to the martyrs.
The CM felicitated the family members of those who sacrificed their life for Telangana statehood.
Cultural troupes took out a rally on the occasion.
A drone light show, highlighting the sacrifices of ‘martyrs’ and achievements of Telangana state, enthralled the audience.
The ‘Amara Jyoti’, built near the Hussain Sagar lake here, would burn continuously as a reminder of the great sacrifice made by the ‘martyrs’, an official release said on Wednesday.
The BRS government has built the six-storey memorial, opposite the state secretariat, at a cost of Rs 117.50 crore, it said.
The government has provided 3.29 acres of its land for the construction of the memorial.
In addition to several other facilities, the memorial has a museum, photo gallery, convention hall, restaurant and others.
The decennial celebration of state formation that began earlier this month concluded with the inauguration of the ‘martyrs memorial -Amara Jyoti’ today. PTI SJR ROH
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