Standing before a gathering in Hyderabad to mark the 128th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a pointed and deeply symbolic message.
Referring to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, Singh said the Indian Armed Forces had responded not just with force, but with moral clarity. “Terrorists killed innocent civilians in Pahalgam based on their Dharma,” he said. “Our forces, through Operation Sindoor, destroyed terrorist hideouts based on their Karma.”
He added that the military action was carried out with restraint, carefully avoiding civilian harm, and that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Armed Forces have both the freedom and capacity to act decisively against terrorism.
In linking the ethos of the Armed Forces with that of Alluri Sitarama Raju, Singh mentioned the freedom fighter as more than just a historical figure. “Alluri ji was not just a revolutionary, he was a movement,” the Defence Minister said. “His fight against injustice, despite limited means, reflects the same spirit of determination that guides our military today.” Singh drew parallels between Alluri’s principled guerrilla resistance and the patience shown by Indian forces in Operation Sindoor — both, he said, grounded in purpose and restraint rather than vengeance.
Turning to the government’s wider efforts, Singh underscored India’s renewed push for tribal empowerment, calling it a natural extension of Alluri ji’s vision.
He cited initiatives like the PM Tribal Development Mission, Skill India, and the Sickle Cell Anemia Elimination Campaign, describing them not as charity, but as long-overdue steps toward dignity and inclusion. “From being pushed to the margins to becoming active partners in India’s growth story, our tribal communities reflect how far we’ve come,” Singh said, closing his speech with a call to honour Alluri’s legacy through unity and shared purpose.
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