Amaravati, Aug 15 (IANS): Telugu Desam Party President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday called upon the people of the state to get inspiration from the country's freedom fighters who made supreme sacrifices in the great struggle for independence from the British Raj.

Naidu stressed the need for continuing the relentless fight against the suppression of the weaker sections and the backward classes and unchecked exploitation of the public wealth. "When similar oppression took place under the colonial rulers, the freedom fighters rose in revolt and fought valiantly till India achieved freedom. It was a matter of great pride that the whole country was celebrating Independence Day all over in the name of 'Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav'," he said in a statement.

However, he noted that "while our forefathers made sacrifices for freedom and rights, all obstacles were being created now for the growth and development of people in Andhra Pradesh".

"What would be the meaning of sacrifices made by those great souls if those fruits were not passed on to the people," he asked, stressing the need for all sections of society in the state to introspect and come forward to oppose "the oppressive tactics of the present rulers".

"There was an emergent need to protect the state from the ongoing destruction. The immediate task before one and all would be to rally together to boldly confront and prevent the rulers from harming the state any further," he said.

TDP national General Secretary Nara Lokesh, in a separate statement, extended his greetings to the people of the country on the occasion of 75th Independence Day celebrations.

He expressed the wish that the spirit of Independence Day would help the Andhra Pradesh people and make them free from harassment, false cases, oppression and from suicides of jobless youth.