Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy called on the bereaved family of Col. Bikkumalla Santosh Babu here on Sunday.
The Minister returned from his Delhi trip on Sunday afternoon, and took the NH-65 (Hyderabad-Vijayawada) along with former State BJP president K. Laxman and MLC Ramachander Rao and others, and reached Suryapet. At the Bikkumalla family residence at Vidyanagar, he garlanded the Colonel’s portrait to pay his respects and later sat down with the family members, remembering Santosh Babu’s life in the Armed Forces and outside, and offered words of comfort for the loss.
Country’s loss
Wishing strength and courage to the Colonel’s widow Santoshi and parents Upender and Manjula, Mr. Reddy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had specially directed him to visit the family and convey condolences on his behalf. He reassured them that the Centre would stand by them in all respects. “Losing a young officer who had a great future is not only the family’s loss, but also of the country. None of the sacrifices at the Galwan Valley will go in vain,” he asserted.
Keeping in view the ground situation, the Minister, speaking to press persons stressed that the “Indian Army was given full and unconditional freedom” at the borders to safeguard the territorial integrity of the country.
“Even as talks with China were in progress, they acted against us by breaking the trust. Already people across the country are discarding China products, it is required that we boycott using all Chinese products,” he said.
Meanwhile, District Collector T. Vinay Krishna Reddy and Superintendent of Police R. Bhaaskaran reviewed final arrangements for Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s visit to Suryapet on Monday.
According to information, KCR will arrive at Vidyanagar in the afternoon, pay tributes to the Colonel and offer condolences to the family.
As announced earlier, the State government will offer the family a relief of ₹ 5 crore, a residential plot and Group-I equivalent job to the Colonel’s wife. The Chief Minister would hand over the relief cheque and the job appointment letter to the family in person.