HYDERABAD: Keeping in view the age and deteriorating health of Hyderabad-based writer-activist P Varavara Rao in Yerawada Central prison of Pune, his wife P Hemalata on Friday wrote to Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao requesting him to direct the state government to ensure basic facilities to Varavara Rao in the jail.
Speaking to media person here on Friday, Hemalata alleged that Rao, who has been a Telugu poet for over 60 years, is being denied even Telugu letters for the past eight months in the jail.
She requested the government to direct Yerwada jail authorities that Varavara Rao should be allowed to have Telugu books and newspapers.
Varavara Rao and eight others were implicated in Bhima Koregaon - Elgar Parishad case and he was arrested by Pune police.
"I came to know through the media that Varavara Rao and his eight co-accused have written a letter to you (Maharashtra Governor) and waiting for your response for the last one month. However, neither did I find any response in the media nor any improvement in the conditions of Pune jail. That's why I chose to write to Maharashtra Governor once again," Hemalata said.
People believe that all the nine accused including Varavara Rao were deliberately and illegally implicated in the conspiracy case only to protect the real culprits of the violence.
"I ask the Maharashtra governor Vidyasagar Rao to direct the jail officials to provide reading and writing facilities and jail mulakat. It should be extended to other family members and friends. The concerned authorities should be directed to expedite the trial or grant bail as immediately as possible," Hemalata demanded.
As many as 31 writers, journalists, writers and people' organisation representatives including Prof G Hara Gopal, writers Volga, Vasant Kannabiran, Siva Reddy, journalists K Srinivas, Devulapalli Amar and others have signed the letter to extend their support.