Pendyala Varavara Rao, who founded the Association of Rebel Poets and Revolutionary Writers’ Association (VIRASAM) has worsened. The Mumbai High Court on Wednesday ordered the Taloja Jail authorities to shift the 80-yr old to the Dr Balabhai Nanavati Hospital for fifteen days owing to his poor health condition. According to Indira Jaising, lawyer of Varavara Rao, he’s suffering from a nervous system disorder and even tested positive for the deadly Coronavirus while in incarceration.
“He (Varavara Rao) is completely bed-ridden and has no medical attendant. He is in diapers and has a catheter. The catheter was not changed for three months, as there was no one to change it. There is a reasonable apprehension that he will die in custody. I am alleging negligence on part of the state. If the state is unable to look after him, he needs to be shifted to Nanavati Hospital,” Indira Jaising questioned the Solicitor General who was arguing on behalf of the NIA and Mumbai High Court, adding that no precautions or guidelines related to Covid were followed by the jail authorities in the case of the octogenarian.
The Mumbai High Court also directed that Varavara Rao be given quality medical treatment by the best team of doctors and that all medical expenditure be borne by the exchequer. The Court also allowed the poet’s wife to accompany him to the hospital. Varavara Rao should not be discharged without court approval and that all his medical reports should be submitted, the Mumbai Court said in its ruling.
Why was Varavara Rao arrested?
The poet-activist was imprisoned under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act having been apprehended in 2018 in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon case. He was earlier imprisoned in Pune’s Yerwada prison and later to the Taloja central jail. He has been denied bail for two years now. The NIA had arrested Varavara Rao for having participated in the Shaniwarwada Elgar Parishad meeting which was held on December 31, 2017, to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima. NIA suspects Varavara Rao of having alleged links with Naxals and for the alleged conspiracy to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
