ATF condemns Govt decision to celebrate balladeer Gaddar’s Jayanthi

In a statement, ATF convenor said Gaddar had been associated with Maoist ideology—an ideology responsible for the deaths of numerous police personnel and innocent civilians, and fundamentally opposed to the principles of democracy

Hyderabad: The Anti-Terrorism Forum (ATF) has condemned the State government’s decision to officially celebrate balladeer Gaddar’s Jayanthi and the allotment of land for the installation of a statue of Gaddar in Tellapur village of Sangareddy District.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, ATF convenor Ravinuthala Shashidhar said Gaddar had been associated with Maoist ideology—an ideology responsible for the deaths of numerous police personnel and innocent civilians, and fundamentally opposed to the principles of democracy. Hence, the glorification of such an individual and his ideologies by an elected government not only undermines the democratic fabric of the nation but also serves to demoralize our armed forces who risk their lives to protect our country from internal and external threats.

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The action of the State government signal a troubling endorsement of anti-democratic values and directly contravene the laws of the land which expressly ban Maoism and Naxalism due to their violent methods and objectives, he said.