Kavitha calls off fast after govt recognises Velugumatla residents

Telangana Jagruthi President Kalvakuntla Kavitha and Dharma Samaj Party President Visharadhan Maharaj ended their indefinite hunger strike on Wednesday evening. They had undertaken the strike to demand that house sites and homes be constructed and provided to the victims of the Velugumatla demolitions in Khammam, specifically at the very location where their original houses were razed.

Retired Judge Justice Eswaraiah formally ended the hunger strike by offering lemon juice to the protesters at the Somajiguda Press Club. On Monday, Kavitha, Visharadhan, and the victims staged a massive protest in Khammam, reiterating their demand that new houses be built for the Velugumatla victims at the exact site where their previous homes were demolished.

On the same night, joined by the displaced residents, they commenced an indefinite hunger strike at Ambedkar Bhavan. On Tuesday morning, the police arrested the protesters, including Kavitha and Visharadhan. Subsequently, Kavitha continued her hunger strike at the Telangana Jagruthi office, while Visharadhan continued his protest at the DSP’s office.

The hunger strike was called off after the government, which had previously labelled the residents as ‘encroachers’ while demolishing their homes in Velugumatla issued tokens on Wednesday, officially recognising them as the rightful owners of those very land parcels. Kavitha and Visharadhan announced that they would continue their agitation until justice is secured for all other victims of the Velugumatla demolitions.