Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday paid rich tributes to freedom fighter Vadde Obanna by garlanding his portrait on the occasion of his Jayanti, reaffirming his government’s commitment to the empowerment and welfare of Backward Classes (BCs). The Chief Minister said the development of BC communities remained a core priority of the coalition government and emphasised that education alone could enable BCs to rise from aspiring for progress to shaping governance.

The State-level Jayanti celebrations were held with grandeur at Lalita Kala Parishad in Anantapur, marking the 219th birth anniversary of Vadde Obanna, a pioneering freedom fighter who challenged British oppression and fought for the rights of farmers and the poor well before the 1857 revolt.

Speaking on the occasion, BC Welfare Minister S. Savitha said the Chief Minister was working with a clear vision for the comprehensive development of backward classes. She announced that, in line with an election promise, the State government had issued a permanent Government Order declaring Vadde Obanna Jayanti as an official State festival. “This reflects the government’s respect for BC icons and its resolve to institutionalise their legacy,” she said.

The Minister highlighted several initiatives undertaken for BC welfare, including restoration of BC residential schools, reservation for BCs in MSME parks, 15 per cent reservation for Vadderas in quarrying activities, and the implementation of Adarana schemes with special focus on providing tools to traditional occupations. She noted that major education-focused schemes such as Thalliki Vandanam were benefitting a large number of BC students.

Recalling Vadde Obanna’s legacy, speakers described him as a fearless revolutionary who, in 1846, led an attack on British administrative centres to redistribute resources to exploited farmers. They said celebrating his Jayanti as a State event was both a tribute to his sacrifice and an inspiration for future generations.

Several MPs, MLAs, corporation chairpersons, senior officials, and representatives of BC and Vaddera associations attended the programme.