State agencies behind threats to rights activists: Varavara Rao

"Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is following the footsteps of his predecessors YS Rajasekhara Reddy and N Chandrababu Naidu in dealing with the rights activists", observed VIRASAM leader Varavara Rao. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, he said, "The suggestions made by the Chief Minister at a meeting in New Delhi, to adopt Andhra Model in Chhattisgarh, was indicative of the direction in which the current government was moving ahead."

He informed that 'threat mails' were being received by the VIRASAM leaders and the activists who were critical of the government and its policies. After it was reported that the Proddutur VIRASAM secretary, Varalaxmi received threat mail, a kind of disquiet spread in the ranks of rights activists. She got this mail in the name of CPI (ML) and it was intended to sound a caution to an author who wished to pen down a book in memory of Ganti Prasadam.

Varavara Rao and members of the Atma Bandhu Mitrala Sangham (ABMS) believed the mail to be the handiwork of State Intelligence Bureau (SIB). "These are all the statements from SIB, which are being released in the name of unknown organisations", said Varavara Rao.

"If this is not the handiwork of government agencies, why is the government silent and is hesitating to order judicial probe into the killing?" he questioned and added that "At least it must give an assurance to this effect by now". According to Varavara Rao, the so-called 'Chhattisgarh Chirutalu' is being operated from headquarters of Delhi and Hyderabad.

Most of these forces were actually private armies, like the Cobra that served YSR, which later merged with the government forces.The ABMS state president Anjamma, who was present at the time of the attack on Ganti Prasadam, said that the government appeared to be aiding corporate loot in the tribal areas. Padmakumari, state secretary, ABMS, questioned the government's apathy in recording, investigating or arresting the culprits who attack the activists.

"Even the relatives of the slain activists, who are staging protests and demanding justice are not being spared", she pointed out. A series of meetings and programmes will be held in memory of Ganti Prasadam starting with a meeting at Martyrs Column at Subhashnagar in Alwal at 11 am on July 18. Later between 2 pm and 5 pm, the main meeting will be held, where Varavara Rao, Allam Narayana, G Kalyan Rao, Haragopal will participate.

VIRASAM leaders Varavara Rao (centre) and others holding a press conference in Hyderabad on Tuesday Photo: HANS