19 June 2020
To,
Hon’ble Uddhav Thackeray Ji,
Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Respected Sir,
SUBJECT: Urgent Medical Attention to 81-year-old Poet Varavara Rao
We, the undersigned Members of Parliament, wish to register our grave concern at the deteriorating health of the 81-year-old people’s poet Varavara Rao, now lodged in Taloja Jail under the Bhima Koregaon case. We are seeing reports every day of the massive surge in COVID-19 infections within prisons (It has been reported that four deaths have already occurred in prisons across Maharashtra, all of which were later found to be COVID-19 positive.)
It has also come to our notice through the family members of Varavara Rao that the aged poet is vomiting several times daily and is not keeping well. His family mentioned that Varavara Rao’s voice was extremely feeble when he could speak to them on a call made after a month. Two weeks ago, on 30 May 2020, he was rushed to JJ Hospital in Mumbai in a semi-conscious state on a stretcher after a fainting episode. This deterioration in his health happened while he was under observation of the doctors in the Taloja prison. Varavara Rao’s health reports from JJ hospital indicate an electrolyte disturbance which could prove detrimental as he is already a cardiac patient. He has intestinal ulcers which need urgent investigation (Colonoscopy) as directed by doctors while he was in Pune jails. This procedure has not been conducted after more than 6 months of prescription. As he is under such a dire health condition, we urge you to transfer him to a hospital. The present level of care provided in the jail is not acceptable. We request you to give him the necessary and urgent medical attention by moving him to a hospital.
We also use this opportunity to request access to medical treatment for Dr GN Saibaba, the wheelchair-bound professor with 90% disabilities whose health condition is also most vulnerable.
With regards, sd/-
Kanimozhi Karunanidhi Lok Sabha MP (Thoothukkudi) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dr. Thol. Thirumaa Valavan Lok Sabha MP (Chidambaram) Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy Lok Sabha MP (Bongir) Indian National Congress
Prof. Dr. Manoj Jha Rajya Sabha MP Rashtriya Janata Dal
P R Natarajan Lok Sabha MP (Coimbatore) Communist Party of India (Marxist)
K K Ragesh Rajya Sabha MP Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Dr. D. Ravikumar Lok Sabha MP (Villupuram) Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi
A Revanth Reddy Lok Sabha MP (Malkajgiri) Indian National Congress
M Selvaraj Lok Sabha MP (Nagapattinam) Communist Party of India
K Subbarayan Lok Sabha MP (Tiruppur) Communist Party of India
Dr. Sumathy Thamizhachi Thangapandian Lok Sabha MP (Chennai South) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Tiruchi Siva Rajya Sabha MP Dravida Munnetra Kazahgam
Uttam Kumar Nalama Reddy Lok Sabha MP (Nalgonda) Indian National Congress
S. Venkatesan Lok Sabha MP (Madurai) Communist Party of India (Marxist)
