HYDERABAD: The ongoing hunger strike of senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao, demanding to restore the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at Panjagutta, continued for a third consecutive day here on Wednesday. The TDP State president N Ramana, State CPI secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and Andhra Pradesh CPI secretary K Ramakrishna have extended their solidarity with Hanumantha Rao.
The former Rajya Sabha MP has locked himself inside his residence, preventing the police from stifling his protest. Speaking to Express, Congress’ Rao maintained that he won’t withdraw the protest until the government allows the Ambedkar statue to be reinstalled. “When there is no objection in installing YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s statue, why Ambedkar’s statue cannot [be installed] ,” he questioned.
CPI’s Reddy condemned the inaction by the government even after Rao’s hunger strike has continued over three days. He said demolishing Dr Ambedkar’s statue was an insult to him as well as the oppressed classes, and demanded the State government to respond immediately.
