Many martyred for TS, but none care for their kin

Even three years after Telangana became a reality, many families of martyrs who gave up their lives for the cause of separate State still wail in abject penury and with none to care for
Siddipet: Though many family members of Telangana martyrs have been given financial assistance by the State government in addition to assuring government job to one of the family members, many families who lost their loved ones are struggling to meet their healthcare needs. Some families own very little if not any property and are living in rented houses or houses in dilapidated condition.

On the occasion of third Telangana Formation Day celebrations held in Siddipet, families of martyrs were invited to the event organised at the Government Degree College stadium on Friday. Stories of the amount of pressure these Telangana activists had to go through during the movement and the plight of their families after they took the extreme step of giving up their lives is sure to melt the hearts of many.

Kamuni Surya Prakash was just 24 years old and had completed his graduation from Siddipet Government Degree College. On May 26 and 27 in 2010, when YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a meeting in Warangal, this young man was one of the activists who went there to resist Reddy from touring Warangal.

Everybody knows how Telangana activists were beaten up by goons back then. Surya Prakash came back home to his village in Thoguta mandal and could not digest the fact that his own people were acting as roadblock for realising the dream of Telangana statehood. Depressed and unable to bear the pressure, he committed suicide by poisoning himself.

Aarelli Mallikarjun had completed his M Tech but remained unemployed. It was 2011, a period when many activists had become tired after fighting for two years continuously. Morale was down and hope was bleak. Having lost hope of achieving Telangana and gaining employment, he committed suicide at his rented room in Ameerpet by hanging himself.

Situation has not changed much three years after the formation of Telangana. Engineering graduates are still finding it difficult to secure employment in several civil and infrastructure projects being constructed on a large scale across Telangana. However, fresh graduates from Andhra region are easily being able to find jobs under contractors as engineers, which is helping them build a strong resume for themselves.

Many of them took the extreme step after attending meetings. Most of these sensitive individuals were Intermediate students. Veldhoju Srinivas was one of them who consumed poison after returning from Sakala Janula Samme. Loudiya Srinivas was another Inter student from Lambada community who used to attend meetings along with his paternal uncle.

Avunuru Sattayya, a barber was another one who used to leave his work whenever a procession used to pass by his shop to participate in it. He set himself on fire and died.Though one of the family members was given jobs in veterinary hospitals as attenders and office subordinates in other offices, being a leg-level job, their salaries are not enough to cover the medical expenses of their widowed mothers.

Muddapurapu Rani (40), a resident of Kondapaka, belongs to Mudiraju community owning only an acre of land which she has been cultivating. After the death of her husband she got Rs 10 lakh as ex-gratia from government. She performed the marriage of one of her three daughters who was given a government job.

She also has a son who is still a child. It is known that in our society, once a daughter is married off, she becomes part of the groom’s family. Despite that, her elder daughter has been taking care of her medical needs. Rani has been suffering from knee joints and back pain. She says her medical condition is not covered under Aarogyasri scheme.

“After my husband’s death, it has become difficult for me to take care of my children as I am not fit enough to work. We don’t even have a proper house,” she said, as her voice quavered with grief while she spoke.

By Vivek Bhoomi