Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao hoisted the national flag at a simple ceremony at his camp office in tune with the government's decision to keep the Independence Day celebrations a low key affair in view of coronavirus. He also paid floral tributes at the martyrs column of army personnel at Parade grounds.
Later, Mr. Rao awarded the Dasaradhi award of State government for literature for 2020 to Tirunagari Ramanujam. He was presented a cash award of ₹1.01 lakh and a memento. Mr. Rao praised Ramanujam as worthy of the award instituted in memory of a great poet and writer Dasaradhi Krishnamacharyulu. ‘Bala Veerasathakam’, ‘Aksharadhara’ and ‘Tirunagareeyam’ written by Ramanujam earned him fame.
He appreciated Ramanujam for his grip on traditional and Sanskrit literature as well as modern literature. Ramanujam recited a poem that he wrote praising Mr. Rao as modern day Maha Vishnu. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP M. Mahender Reddy and TRS Parliamentary party leader K. Keshava Rao were present.
The Chief Minister on Saturday also laid a laid a wreath at the Veerula Sainik Smarak and paid homage to martyrs. To mark the occasion, COVID-19 warriors such as doctors, health workers and sanitation workers were invited. Lieutenant General T.S.A. Narayanan, Commandant MCEME, Major General R.K. Singh, GOC Telangana and Andhra Sub Area, Brigadier Abhijit Chandra, Station Commander, also paid their respects to the martyrs.
Cong., BJP celebrate
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy hoisted the flag at Gandhi Bhavan in the presence of CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka and senior leaders Shabbir Ali, V. Hanmantha Rao, Sampath Kumar, Ch. Vamshichand Reddy, and Youth Congress president, Anil Kumar Yadav and scores of party activists.
Mr. Uttam Reddy paid tributes to sacrifices of freedom fighters and said as long as the Congress ruled the country, continuous efforts were made to strengthen and give full independence to the four pillars of democracy — legislature, executive, judiciary and media. However, since 2014, these institutions are being weakened, he charged.
State BJP chief, Bandi Sanjay unfurled the national flag at the BJP office with many senior leaders in attendance. He said the country had made progress in the last 73 years but it has picked up pace after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014.
Mr. Sanjay also targeted the TRS rule saying the governance from Pragati Bhavan and farm house of Chief Minister reminded people of the Nizam’s autocratic rule from King Koti palace and Falaknuma Palace. It is time people start another struggle to throw out TRS government, he added.
Meanwhile, TRS secretary general K. Keshav Rao hoisted the flag at TRS office in presence of a few party leaders and MLCs, in compliance with COVID-19 norms.