Hyderabad, Dec.3 (NSS): BRS party working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) today said Srikantachari’s martyrdom was great and his sacrifice would never be forgotten by the people of Telangana. “Srikantachari, who could not bear to see the then Congress government’s crackdown on Telangana activists and the arrest of KCR, was killed in the fire after self-immolating himself. His sacrifice of life has made the Telangana movement soaring,” he said.
KTR offered tributes to Srikantachari on the occasion of his death anniversary on his official twitter handle. BRS MLA Harish Rao also paid tributes to Kasoju Srikantachari, the first martyr of the final phase of separate Telangana movement, on his 15th death anniversary. “Srikantachari is said to be a fighter who shouted ‘Jai Telangana’ while on fire. “He is a martyr who sacrificed his life as he could not tolerate the arrest of KCR and the government’s repression on the agitators. Johar Srikantachari. Jai Telangana,” Rao tweeted.
The fighter who shouted in the direction..
Tributes to Telangana martyr Srikantachari, who sacrificed his life as he could not tolerate the arrest of KCR and the government’s crackdown on the agitators.
On November 29, 2009, KCR, who was the leader of the separate Telangana State movement, went on a fast-unto-death program. He was arrested by the police while he was on his way to Siddipet’s deeksha sthal from Karimnagar. As a result, the State was gripped by agitations and sloganeering across Telangana. The then State government had launched crackdowns on the Telangana activists. Srikanta Chari was unable to bear the lathi-charge and arrests of the activists. He participated in a dharna at LB Nagar chowrasta in Hyderabad to protest against the arrest of KCR.
On the occasion, he poured petrol on his body and set himself afire. As soon as the fire broke out, he shouted slogans like ‘Jai Telangana’. The Police and activists rushed him to a nearby hospital where he suffered more than 80% burn injuries. He was then taken to Yashoda hospital for better treatment. Two days later, he was shifted to Osmania Hospital. From there, he was shifted to Apollo Hospital. Srikanta Chari died on December 3 while undergoing treatment.
