Telangana: Minister Seethakka condoles death of ex-DU Prof Saibaba

Says though Saibaba spent a long time in jail in false cases, he fought till the end for the sake of people with firm determination and commitment

Hyderabad: Telangana Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Danasari Seethakka has condoled the passing away of former Delhi University professor and human rights activist GN Saibaba.

In a statement, the Minister said that Saibaba, throughout his life, fought to end social inequalities. The Minister said though he spent a long time in jail in false cases, he fought till the end for the sake of people with firm determination and commitment.

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Saibaba, who spent a decade in prison over alleged Maoist links before being acquitted earlier this year, passed away on Saturday night at a hospital in Hyderabad.

The 57-year-old died following post-operative complications after undergoing surgery for gallbladder stones. The wheelchair-bound Saibaba had been undergoing treatment at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), where he was admitted 10 days ago due to ill health.

Seethakka, a former Maoist, expressed profound grief over the death of Saibaba and conveyed her deepest condolences to his family. Meanwhile, K Narayana, Secretary, of CPI National Council, decided to stay away from Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya’s annual Dasara conclave ‘Alai Balai’ scheduled to be held on Sunday due to Saibaba’s death.

Narayana wrote to Dattatreya thanking him for inviting him to the event every year irrespective of his political affiliation. “But as you know, Saibaba a famous intellectual and Professor of a prestigious university in Delhi, was arrested by the Union government even though he was 90 per cent orthopaedically challenged. Even bail which is a right under trial was denied. Ultimately after 10 years, the honourable court found him not guilty,” wrote Narayana.

“I and my party may not agree with Saibaba’s politics but there is no doubt that human rights violations have taken place and ultimately the State has taken him away from this world. You are a gentleman but ultimately you represent the same government which led to his death. Thanks for your invitation but in protest I will not be attending the programme organised by you,” wrote Narayana.

Saibaba was acquitted by the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on March 5, nearly 10 years after he was first arrested in an alleged Maoist link case. He was arrested along with some others on May 9, 2014, by Gadchiroli Police in Maharashtra on allegations that they were members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and its frontal organisation Revolutionary Democratic Front.