The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Kin hails `sacrifices' of naxalites

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 03, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Kin hails `sacrifices' of naxalites

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, AUG. 2. Kin of People's War naxalites were emotional but firm in their conviction that members of their families had laid down their lives for the cause of people and would live forever in the memory of people.

Unlike the two meetings organised by the committee of relatives and friends of the People's War martyrs near Warangal and at Darakonda in the last few days, where some important statements were made on behalf of the PW, the one held here on Monday, incidentally the first to be held in an urban centre, brought to the fore the ideals of PW naxalites and their sacrifices.

The meeting was held in memory of Jayapal, Savitri, Bhaskar, Kaumudi, Lata and Janardhan, who were involved in the PW activities in the district and either killed in the district or in the neighbouring districts.

Tanuja, wife of Janardhan, expressed deep hurt and pain over the way naxalites were tortured before being killed and their bodies allowed to get decomposed before handing over to their families.

Probe demanded

In the case of Janardhan, the police had not revealed his original name but announced only one of the aliases, Narayana, and did not allow his family to keep the body for not even half an hour before cremation, she said.

Ms. Tanuja demanded that the Government institute a probe into all the fake encounters and take action against the police officers responsible for them.

The mother of Bhaskar, Ankaalla Devatarakam, said that she wanted all children to be educated though she was an illiterate. Her son who had studied journalism in Andhra University always fought injustice and was talking to her about such injustice. "Though I have lost my son, I see him in your hearts,'' she said. Earlier, Ms. Devatarakam unveiled a temporary memorial for martyrs.

A retired professor, Manepalli, who also runs a socio-cultural organisation, Avagaahana, at Elamanchili, recalling his long association with Janardhan, said that death was not the end of a revolutionary but it would inspire people to rededicate themselves to revolution.

Naxalites never killed the innocent and this was the reason for people supporting the revolution, he said. Prof. Manepalli also did not believe that the Government could deceive people by resorting to actions like lifting the ban.

A professor of Andhra University, Bobby Vardhan, who was Bhaskar's teacher, recounted his association with Bhaskar and Savitri. Bhaskar rejuvenated the radical students movement on the campus while Savitri, who had studied M.Tech, left her job as a lecturer in a local engineering college to join the naxalite movement.

Naidu flayed

The meeting was presided over by an executive committee member of the VIRASAM, Chalasani Prasad, who strongly criticised the Chandrababu Naidu Government for killing 2,000 persons in fake encounters and wanted a probe to be conducted. Mr. Prasad declared that VIRASAM would always support those who fought for the rights of people and that he was proud to preside over the meeting.

Prajakavi Vangapandu Prasada Rao and his troupe sang songs hailing the slain PW leaders. Ambedkar Bhavan, venue of the meeting, was full to its capacity.

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