Tributes Paid To Professor Saibaba

Several prominent persons of the State today paid tributes to noted civil rights activist Professor G N Saibaba.

CPI leader Narayana and several other Left leaders paid tributes at the mortal remains of Saibaba at Martyrs Memorial at Gun Park in Hyderabad.

A large number of fans of Saibaba also gathered to pay their last tributes. They raised slogans like "Comrade Saibaba Amar Rahe", "Laal Salaam" and "Inquilab Zindabad".

Although the family members and fans of Saibaba demanded that the authorities allow them a 5-minute condolence meeting at Gun Park, the police had refused permission. Saibaba's body was kept in an ambulance by the side, but permission was not granted. This led to an argument between Saibaba's supporters and the police. Saibaba's body was eventually taken to his residence in Moulali.

Speaking to media persons on the occasion, CPI leader Narayana said that intellectuals were those who read society and not books, and that Saibaba was such a person. He recalled that Saibaba was unjustly detained in jail for 10 years, and alleged that Saibaba's was not a natural death but a murder by the government. He said that he would write a letter to the Supreme Court judges to find out who the culprit behind that was.

He also said that although Saibaba was dead, his principles would remain alive. "Saibaba was a great man who fought for change and rights," he said.

Former minister and BRS MLA Harish Rao and MLC M Kodandaram also paid their last respects to Saibaba. Speaking on the occasion, Rao said that it was sad that Saibaba had died shortly after coming out of jail. He termed the late professor as a great man who fought for the rights of the common man, and said that it was sad that illegal cases were being filed against those who fought for their rights.

Kodandaram alleged that the Centre had acted in a repressive manner against Saibaba, and demanded that the Centre be held responsible for his death. He said that Saibaba had fought for the implementation of the basic principles of the Indian Constitution, and that all the democratically minded people had protested against his detention.

BRS working president K T Rama Rao also paid his tributes to Saibaba's mortal remains, at Moulali in Hyderabad. He consoled the family members of Saibaba. However, some people raised slogans against KTR like "Go back KTR". "What did the BRS do when Saibaba was in jail for 10 years?" they asked.

Although KTR immediately left the place, the slogans of the protestors continued. BRS sources claimed that it was Congress leader Mainampalli Hanumantha Rao's supporters who raised the slogans of "Go back KTR" and not the civil rights activists.