President Pranab Mukherjee, who participated in the valedictory of Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy’s birth centenary celebrations here on Monday, hailed the former president’s contribution to the development of Andhra Pradesh.
As the first chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh, following incorporation of Telangana into the state as part of Linguistic Reorganisation, provided effective leadership for development and modernisation of the state, he said.
“If today, Andhra Pradesh is hailed as the granary of South India, much credit is due to Reddy who gave shape to the plans for construction of Nagarjuna Sagar, Srisailam, Sriram Sagar and Vamsadhara projects,’’ he said.
Stating that Reddy’s tenure as President was a period of unprecedented political turmoil, which saw him swear in three governments led by Morarji Desai, Charan Singh and Indira Gandhi, he said Reddy took historic decision on a number of important issues due to his long years in public life and close association with leaders from all sections of opinion.
Recalling that it was Reddy, who served as President at a young age, first chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh and as Lok Sabha Speaker, Pranab described Neelam as a man with many records to his credit. “While, serving as Lok Sabha speaker, Reddy admitted a no-confidence motion and taken up for discussion for the first time on the same day as he believed that urgent matters should not be delayed by taking recourse to traditions and precedents,” he said, adding that it was during the tenure of Reddy as speaker that for the first time in the history of the Lok Sabha, the House sentenced a person to imprisonment for contempt of the House by shouting slogans and throwing pamphlets on the floor of the House from visitor’s gallery.
Quoting Reddy’s message that Indians should work together to build independent India into a modern nation, Pranab said that the message was relevant even today. “They remind us of the important responsibility that we have as citizens of India and we must embrace the spirit of these guiding works as we pursue our individual goals,” he said.