Vijayawada: Kakani Aasaya Saadhana Samiti (KASS) on Saturday sought reinstallation of freedom fighter Kakani Venkataratnam’s statue at Benz Circle in Vijayawada before December 25, the freedom fighter’s death anniversary.
KASS made the request while felicitating YSRC Vijayawada East constituency in-charge Devineni Avinash for being instrumental in ensuring that Vijayawada Municipal Corporation council passed a resolution to reinstall Kakani Venkataratnam’s statue at the Benz Circle.
National Highways Authority of India officials had removed the statue while constructing the flyover at the spot in 2018. It had not been reinstalled subsequently despite continuous efforts by KASS. Now, VMC has passed a resolution that the statue be reinstalled.
Thanking Devineni Avinash at a function organised at the Freedom Fighters Building in Labbipet here, KASS founder president Dr Tarun Kakani and others presented the YSRC leader a miniature statue of Kakani Venkataratnam, apart from giving him a letter requesting that the statue installation be completed before the freedom fighter’s death anniversary on December 25.
Devineni Avinash recollected Kakani Venkataratnam contributions to the coastal areas. He pointed out that the freedom fighter had also been fondly called Andhra Kurien for encouraging dairy farmers. He assured KASS that the statue will be reinstalled before the upcoming death anniversary of Kakani Venkataratnam.
The KASS founder president recalled Kakani Venkataratnam participation in the Indian Freedom Struggle. Kakani also pioneered the Jai Andhra movement. People fondly called him Ukku Kakani or Veera Kakani for his formidable stand when it came to public issues.
