Activists under the banner of the UAPA Repeal Agitation Committee staged a demonstration in front of the Prakasam Bhavan here on Tuesday demanding the repeal of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Leading the protest, Organisation for Protection of Democracy(OPDR) State president Ch. Sudhakar contended that the Act, misused to slap cases against activists in the Bhima Koregaon case, was more draconian than the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities(prevention) ACT(TADA), and urged the Supreme Court to give a direction to the Centre for its repeal.
The cases against intellectuals including Varavara Rao, Anand Teltumbde, Sudha Bharadwaj should be withdrawn immediately, he said. In most of the cases, charge sheet had not been filed for years and provisions of UAPA were misused against activists who raised their voice against atrocities against weaker sections of people, he alleged.
The activists raised slogans against the raids conducted by the sleuths of the National Investigation Agency(NIA) earlier in the day on the residences of revolutionary writer G. Kalyan Rao and Kandula Sirisha alias Padmakka, wife of top Maoist leader Akkiraju Haragopal alias Ramakrishna, at Alakurapadu, near Tangutur, in Prakasam district.
They also raised slogans demanding withdrawal of cases allegedly foisted on Communist Party of India-Maoist leader Vanthala Ramakrishna in Alluri Sitharamaraju district and other tribals.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha Prakasam district convenor Ch Ranga Rao expressed solidarity with the agitators.
Leaders who addressed the gathering included Kula Nirmulana Porata Sangam leader Duddu Venkat Rao, Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti district President Anand Madiga, Progressive Democratic Students Union State Vice-President L Rajasekhar, Praja Kala Mandali district Secretary D Srinivas and Independent Labour Party leader Dasari Sundaram.
