MUMBAI: Maharashtra housing minister Jitendra Awhad demanded that the 81-year-old Varavara Rao, Hyderabad-based poet and activist who is accused in the Elgar Parished case should be shifted to a hospital because of his deteriorating health.
Jitendra Awhad in his tweet said, “We are extremely worried about Varvara Rao's health condition. His possession is under Home Ministry of Central Government and not under Maharashtra Government. We appeal to the Central Government to urgently shift him to a hospital,” he said tagging to Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh.
Varavara Rao is lodged in Taloja jail in Mumbai.
Several social activist and literary figures have placed demands for Rao to be shifted to a hospital immediately. Poet and novelist Meena Kandasamy replied to Awhad and said, “Thank you sir for your concern, and for the demand to urgently shift Varavara Rao to a hospital. This is a very kind and humanitarian step from your government. Thank you. Let us hope @HMOIndia @AmitShahOffice intervene in a timely manner.”
The NCP minister Awhad who always takes ideological stand extended his support to Varavara Rao. He said that there is no point harassing the 81-year-old man who is a poet and has been put behind bars in a fabricated case.
“On the humanitarian ground, Mr Rao should be shifted to the hospital immediately. His family has also written to multiple higher authorities so their plea should be attended. The case is with the central government’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) under the union home ministry so they have to make a decision. Maharashtra government has very little role to play in this matter,” he clarified.
Rao’s wife, Hemalatha, and daughters, Sahaja, Anala and Pavana, are worried about his health following a phone call with him on last Saturday. His wife Hemlata said, “He appeared to be in a state of delirium and hallucination, as he was talking about the funeral of his father and mother, the events that happened seven decades and four decades ago respectively. His co-prisoner took the phone from him and informed us that he is not able to walk, go to the toilet and brush his teeth on his own,” she said demanding immediate medical help and release from the prison.
Earlier Rao was admitted to the Sir JJ hospital after a complaint of giddiness but later he was discharged. The jail authority in Taloja refused to admit that Rao is unwell and need urgent medical help.