Alluri Sitarama Raju

Context: 

Recently,  the President paid tribute to the freedom fighter Alluri Sitramam Raju at the closing ceremony of his 125th birth anniversary celebrations in Hyderabad.

About Alluri Sitarama Raju:

• He was an Indian revolutionary involved in the Indian independence movement.
• Birth and Early Life: 
  • Born on July 4, 1897, in present-day Andhra Pradesh.
  • He was Deeply disturbed by the sufferings of countrymen under British rule.
• Role as a Freedom Fighter:
  • He is also referred to as Manyam Veerudu (Jungle Warrior), rallied thousands of poor Adviasis and kindled the spirit of freedom among them.
  • Fought against the oppressive Madras Forest Act, 1882.
  • Organized Adivasis against police, forest, and revenue officials.
• Death: Rama Raju was caught and martyred by Britishers on May 7, 1924. His remains are buried at Krishnadevi Peta in Visakhapatnam. 

Rampa Rebellion 

• The Rampa Revolt, also referred to as the Manyam Uprising, was a tribal insurgency led by Alluri Sitarama Raju in the Madras Presidency. 
• Time period: It began in August 1922 and lasted until Raju got arrested and murdered in May 1924.
• Location: The Rampa administrative jurisdiction was located in the hills of what is now the Godavari division of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
• Flashpoint of the revolt: The Madras Forest Act, 1882 was passed, which restricted the free movement of the tribal communities and prohibited them from engaging in their traditional Podu agricultural system.

Factors leading to the Revolt:

• The British Raj aimed to increase the economic utility of lands in the Godavari Agency, an area known for its abundance of malaria and blackwater sickness. 
• Traditional agricultural practices were hampered when the state acquired control of the forests, mainly for commercial objectives such as products for constructing railways and ships, with no consideration for indigenous people’s necessities.

News Source: The Hindu