Varavara Rao’s family members seek his immediate release

There are conflicting reports of the revolutionary poet’s health condition

Varavara Rao’s daughters addressing the media in Hyderabad on Saturday.

In the wake of arrested revolutionary poet Varavara Rao's admission to JJ Hospital, Mumbai, from Taloja Jail amidst varied news reports, his wife P. Hemalatha has requested the Central and State governments of Maharashtra and Telangana to enable the family members know the actual status of Mr. Rao’s health condition by arranging a video conference with him immediately.

Ms. Hemalatha (72) in a statement signed by her and released here on Saturday said that they came to know through the local Chikkadapalli police around 8.30 p.m. on Friday that Mr. Rao’s health condition was precarious and he was moved to JJ Hospital. They informed the family members that they got that one sentence information from Pune police and did not have any further details.

Later after three hours of gruelling anxiety and enquiries, she said that the family came to know that Mr. Rao fell unconscious on Thursday evening in jail, moved to hospital, and by Friday evening all vitals recorded normal.

But then another news appeared that he was hospitalised in Taloja jail for three days and only then he had to be moved to JJ Hospital. “In these various news items, we do not know which contains how much truth and gives out the exact health condition. In the meanwhile, the statement by Telangana police officials that they will make arrangements for the family to visit Mumbai is much more worrying,” she said.

Since the noted revolutionary poet took part in Telangana movement ever since 1969, as a worthy son of Telangana, it is the responsibility of Telangana government to take care of his health, well-being and security, she said.

Ms. Hemalatha, who is not in good health and under severe stress for the last 12-14 hours and 18 months in general, said she was not in a position to travel. As a legal attempt to get permission for the family to meet him was being undertaken in Mumbai, if the court grants permission, her family members would go to Mumbai to visit him in hospital. It is enough if the government would give permission needed in the context of COVID-19 and the family would take care of its travel arrangements.

She urged the Centre and Maharashtra and Telangana governments to release Mr. Rao immediately on bail as he had already undergone 18 months of incarceration on "fabricated charges and without any trial".

If the news of falling unconscious is true, comprehensive medical examination should be initiated to find out the reasons. He had pre-existing health issues like piles, prostrate enlargement, coronary artery disease, oedema, hypertension, acidity, sinus/migraine and a thorough medical examination by a team of doctors to know on which of these reasons or any other new reason led to the present emergency has to be initiated immediately, she said.

The NIA has been acting in a “particularly vindictive manner” against Mr. Rao and his co-accused. Deputy Home Minister G Kishan Reddy, who himself is a Telugu person, should take this responsibility, she said.