The Telangana unit of the NSUI, which is the student wing of the Congress, and Congress MLA from the Mulugu constituency Seethakka had yesterday launched a
fast unto death program at Hyderabad's Indira Park to demand that the safety and health of the public be safeguarded by "the irresponsible governments" at the Centre and in the state.
The protest had been launched to pressure the TRS government to include Covid-19 into the Aarogyasri cashless healthcare scheme.
However, the program came to a screeching halt today when the city police forced the protestors to break their fasts, and arrested them.
Seethakka was also arrested and then shifted to a nearby hospital as her health had deteriorated due to the fast. NSUI state president Balmuri Venkat was also arrested and subsequently shifted to the same hospital.
After visiting her at the hospital, Congress leader Konda Vishweshwar Reddy expressed his support for Seethakka's fast in a tweet that reads, "Seethakka guru's fight is for the poor hit by Covid. She went on a hunger deeksha asking "richest state" Telangana to include Covid treatment in Arogyashree. The police shifted to Osmania Hospital, I went to meet her. Her demands are justified. Entire Telangana supports the cause (sic)."
Venkat thanked Reddy for his support. He also said that the party remained "committed" to having the demand for the inclusion of Covid-19 in the Aarogyasree scheme met, and asserted that the protestors would "fight against all odds for justice".