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Tag: Varavara Rao

Varavara Rao’s neurological status unstable: Medical report

Varavara Rao’s neurological status unstable: Medical report

Hindustan Times / by K A Y Dodhia

The report further states that depending on Rao’s condition and as per hospital protocols, they would permit Rao’s family to speak to him over video call.
The Bombay high court (HC) has highlighted that a part of the medical report of Telegu poet P Varavara Rao from Nanavati Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment Covid-19 and other comorbidities, has stated that though Rao’s electrolyte levels have normalised, his neurological status is unstable as he is still disoriented in his talks.
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NHRC to get Maharashtra govt’s health report on Varavara Rao examined by expert panel

21/08/2020

Deccan Herald / by Shemin Joy, DHNS

The National Human Rights (NHRC) on Friday decided to refer the medical report of jailed poet-activist Varavara Rao, who is admitted to a Mumbai hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, submitted by the Maharashtra government to its own expert panel.
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The Making of Varavara Rao: Part One

The Making of Varavara Rao: Part One

Newsclick / by N Venugopal Rao

Varavara Rao’s life as a man of letters started at a very early age.
Varavara Rao is someone I have known ever since I opened my eyes to the world around me. In the 80 years of his life, he has lived around 21 years more than me. I came to know of his life in the years I missed through our conversations, family-legends, his writings and speeches. Initially, he was only an uncle who played with me; my mother’s youngest brother and just that. However, over the 50 years from then, I grew up in the kaleidoscopic shadow of his thoughts-praxis — conversations, writings, speeches, rebuttals, inspiration, rage, consolation and reconciliation.
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HC Directs Hospital To Allow Varavara Rao’s Family To Talk To Him, Seeks Fresh Medical Report Of Sudha Bharadwaj

HC Directs Hospital To Allow Varavara Rao’s Family To Talk To Him, Seeks Fresh Medical Report Of Sudha Bharadwaj

Live Law / by Nitish Kashyap

The Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Nanavati hospital authorities to again allow Varavara Rao’s family to interact with him via video call after the family expressed anxiety for not receiving any updates on his health by hospital authorities…
Thereafter, Sudha Bharadwaj’s appeal against rejection of bail came up before the same bench.
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A Month on, Varavara Rao’s Family Says ‘No Update on COVID Status’

18/08/2020

The Quint / by Asmita Nandy

After a video call, Varavara Rao’s family said his health was improving but he remained physically weak.
Jailed poet and activist Varavara Rao’s family said the 80-year-old, who was admitted to Mumbai’s Nanavati hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 on 16 July, continued to remain physically weak.
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High Court: Let Varavara Rao make video calls to his family

18/08/2020

Hindustan Times / by K A Y Dohiya

The Bombay high court (HC) on Monday directed the state to allow activist and poet P Varavara Rao contact his family using video calls, while following hospital protocol. HC also directed court officials to provide Rao’s family and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) copies of Rao’s medical report, which was submitted to the court last week. The next hearing will be held after two weeks …
In another hearing for an appeal filed by lawyer and activist Sudha Bharadwaj, advocate Ragini Ahuja appealed against a special court’s decision to deny Bharadwaj interim bail … The court has also sought Bharadwaj’s latest medical report. The matter will be heard after two weeks.
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More than 400 students, faculty members sci-tech institutes demand bail for Varavara Rao, GN Saibaba

More than 400 students, faculty members sci-tech institutes demand bail for Varavara Rao, GN Saibaba

Hindustan Times / by Priyanka Sahoo

More than 400 students, faculty members, and alumni from various science and technology institutes in the country have signed a petition to the Central government, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and Chief Justice of India (CJI) SA Bobde, demanding bail and medical care for Varavara Rao and GN Saibaba, who are in jail for their alleged Communist Party of India (CPI)-Maoist links, and the release of other political prisoners.
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Tongues are on Trial – Why the attack on poets and activists is special

Tongues are on Trial – Why the attack on poets and activists is special


Illustration by Hannah K Lee for TED

Indian Cultural Forum / by Brama Prakash

Under the current circumstances, amidst a pandemic, what we are facing is the urgency of life — a deep existential crisis. Viruses and corpses are no longer metaphors. They are footing in front of us. Bereft of a physical form, the virus is real. Bereft of bodies and ceremony, the silent corpse is real. Amidst the roaring sound of the Rafale jet, the howling cry of a patient is real. The number of deaths and positive cases, though manipulated, are real.
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We are only as free as those we love / K Satyanrayana on Varavara Rao

We are only as free as those we love / K Satyanrayana on Varavara Rao

The Hindu Business / by Shriya Mohan

For the families of political prisoners, daily life is an endless rigmarole of legal battles for the bail of their loved ones.
The pandemic and the resulting curfew on prison visits and postal delivery have exacerbated the isolation of political prisoners like GN Saibaba, Varavara Rao, Dr Kafeel Khan, Sudha Bharadwaj and others, cutting them off further from their families — the very people who are rooting for their innocence and freedom.
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When the moon slips into Darkness: K Satyanrayana on Varavara Rao

15/08/2020

Gauri Lankesh News / by K Satyanarayana

A popular public speaker with eloquent oration and elephantine memory is now reduced to searching for words, incoherent delirium.
Varavara Rao, 80-year old Telugu revolutionary poet, now incarcerated in Bhima Koregaon case and ailing in Nanavati Hospital, should not be left to die, as he is a symbol of people’s poetry, chronicler of people’s movements, upholder of popular democracy and rule of law, a teacher and a public speaker. One can gauge his popularity from the world-wide upsurge of expressions of protest against his imprisonment and solidarity with him, pouring in for the last ten days.
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‘This government has tamed everyone’ – Interview with Rao´s Lawyer

‘This government has tamed everyone’ – Interview with Rao´s Lawyer

Rediff.com /by Vaihayasi Pande Daniel

‘The entire systems they are trying to change.’
Telugu poet, activist, critic and teacher Pendyala Varavara Rao, 79, has a new advocate.
Sudeep Ratnamberdutt Pasbola, who has represented/represents accused like activist Arun Ferreira, politician Rahul Gandhi, gangster Abu Salem, HR consultant Indrani Mukerjea, gangster Arun Gawli, 1993 and 2006 Mumbai blast accused, amongst many others, took on Professor Rao’s case in July… Pasbola spoke to Rediff.com’s Vaihayasi Pande Daniel about Professor Rao’s case and why bail is no longer being granted by courts for certain types of accused.
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Varavara Rao’s Family Awaits News On His Health, Writes Jailed Poet’s Nephew

Varavara Rao’s Family Awaits News On His Health, Writes Jailed Poet’s Nephew

Outlook / by N Venugopal

It has been eleven days since Varavara Rao’s family saw the physically weak and psychologically suffering poet on video conference and there is still no news from anywhere – hospital or jail.
It’s exactly one month since Varavara Rao’s family felt disturbed with his incoherent talk and began emergency efforts to bring the dreadful condition of his health to people’s notice, to appeal to all the systems of governance and to move judiciary seeking an immediate remedy to the risk to his life.
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A test case – Detainees during the pandemic

A test case – Detainees during the pandemic

The Telegraph / by Prabhat Patnaik

It is a common practice all over the world that when those incarcerated face a threat to life, the authorities send them home…
It is a sign of the times that our present Central government does not feel the need to follow this practice of releasing prisoners even when their lives are at risk. Varavara Rao, a 79-year-old accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case, has been in jail for two years, where his health had broken down even before the pandemic; matters are worse now because he has tested positive for Covid-19. Yet the government has made no announcement till date about his release after he is discharged from hospital; and this is so notwithstanding the fact that he is merely awaiting trial and has not been convicted of any crime.
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