TJS leader seeks withdrawal of case against Varavara Rao

Telangana Jana Samthi (TJS) president Prof M Kodandaram Wednesday urged the government to withdraw the case against Left-leaning poet Varavara Rao, currently under house arrest here after Maharashtra police detained him for his alleged links with Maoists.

Kodandaram said he felt Rao had been implicated in a case with which he had nothing to do and asked the government to withdraw the case.

"He is a writer. He has his own convictions for just holding convictions you can't target a person and take him into custody," he told reporters here. The TJS leader also claimed Rao was not keeping well and said police did not allow him to meet the writer at his house.

He wanted the government to provide necessary health care to Rao. "It is a courtesy call...he is not keeping well. His health has been failing for quite some time. He is suffering from blood pressure and other health problems. So, we thought of meeting him," Kodandaram added.

The Supreme Court on August 29 ordered the house arrest of five activists including Rao, a day after they were detained in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case. The court Wednesday extended their house arrest for a day.