Farmers unite to honour slain leader Samineni Rama Rao

Hyderabad: A solemn memorial meeting was held at the Sundarayya Knowledge Centre on Monday, where activists and citizens were called upon to unite in the fight for farmers’ rights, drawing profound inspiration from the life and legacy of Samineni Rama Rao.

Former MLAs Julakanti Rangareddy, Farmers’ Association State President Pothineni Sudarshan, and Secretary T Sagar led the tributes. Rama Rao, a veteran farmers’ leader and former State President and Secretary of the Farmers’ Association, was brutally murdered in his native village on 30 October.

Speakers vehemently condemned the killing as a heinous act, allegedly perpetrated by Congress-backed goons. They also criticised the government for failing to arrest the culprits, even after a lapse of twelve days.

Leaders recalled Rama Rao’s unwavering, lifelong commitment to agrarian struggles, which ranged from efforts to prevent farmer suicides to the organisation of crop-based associations and water resource movements. He was widely respected for his structural discipline, economic clarity, and political awareness initiatives, including holding “knowledge classes” to train new activists. His dedication to empowering women within the farmers’ movement was particularly lauded.

Rama Rao played a pivotal role in implementing minimum support prices, resolving land and irrigation disputes, and confronting government restrictions on farmer associations. Despite facing multiple legal cases, he remained a steadfast leader, respected across fraternal and allied organisations.

A member of the All India Kisan Sabha for over a decade, Rama Rao was described as a “75-year-old young man” driven by leftist ideals and grassroots activism. His death, leaders lamented, has left a void in the farmers’ movement, but his legacy must now guide future struggles.

Senior leaders, including SarampalliMallareddy, Bonthala Chandra Reddy, Nandyala Narasimha Reddy, Kandala Pramila, and dozens of state committee members, attended the meeting, all pledging to carry forward Rama Rao’s mission with renewed resolve.