HYDERABAD: Prof G Haragopal, convener of Forum Against Repression, on Saturday demanded that the State government withdraw the case filed against all the 152 persons, not just against him.
He was speaking to the media after attending a round table conference in the city, which was attended by activists and civil society organisations on the implementation of the UAPA. Taking exception to the filing of cases under serious sections, the speakers at the round table felt that all of them had participated in the Telangana movement and expressed astonishment over the treatment being meted out to them after the formation of the State.
They decided to urge all the political parties to pledge in their election manifestos to repeal the Act. They also resolved to spread awareness on the provisions of UAPA at mandal and district levels across the State as they collectively opined that the opposition from people would prevent governments from filing such cases in future.
“All the civil society and people’s organisations have participated in the Telangana movement. The BRS government is behaving like any other government after coming to power through social movements,” Haragopal said.
Popular revolutionary singer Vimalakka said that the State’s objective of furthering its destructive development model was the motive behind filing such cases. She was of the view that the State repression had increased manifold as there was no opposition when the State government seized Arunodaya’s office.
Prof Padmaja Shaw said that the cases like sedition and treason used to be filed during the colonial era, and those cases used to be factually right to some extent. She added that the present cases under serious charges were ridiculous and even a layman would understand the evil thought behind it.