Hyderabad: Poet and Maoist ideologue Varavara Rao and several others were taken into preventive custody after they went ahead with a public meeting of the ‘Pratyamnaya Rajakeeya Vedika’ (Forum for Political Alternative) after the police denied them permission.
The police said the forum was a front organisation of the Maoists, the meeting was called to mark the 10 years of the formation of the Maoists, by merging the erstwhile Poeple’s War and MCC. The Central Zone police was deployed and barricades erected at the Sundarayya Vignana Kendr-am in Bagh Lingampalli, the venue, where about 30 leaders and activists turned up. “Permission had been denied for their seminar. However, Rao and others were going ahead with the programmes, so they were taken into preventive custody.” said Chikkadpally inspector N.L.N. Raju.
Poet G. Kalyan Rao was taken into custody in Guntur district. Chikkadpally ACP A. Reddy said police detained the forum members at the venue, while others were taken to police stations.
Mr Rao’s application to the police said the meeting was being held to review the progress in the ten years of the “united revolutionary movement.” On contrary the pamphlet released by the PRV said that the Maoists were the only alternative to the democratic system.
This indicated that the meeting was only for propagating the ideology of the banned outfit, police said.
