HYDERABAD: The state committee against death penalty for Jeetan Marandi and his team of three artistes will organise a procession from the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram at Baghlingampally to Indira Park on December 1.The rally will coincide with the death anniversaries of Bhumaiah and Krishna Gauda who were arrested in connection with the Srikakulam tribal peasant struggle and were executed on December 1, 1975.Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, committee member Gitanjali said, “We plan to hold the rally and launch a social movement for revocation of the death sentence awarded to Jharkahand people’s cultural artiste Jeetan Marandi and members of his troupe Anil Ram, Manoj Rajwar and Chhatrapati Mandal as they were politically made guilty.”Marandi was not the one who was involved killing 19 people in 2007, and yet he was arrested and awarded death penalty by a lower court in Jharkhand. Though there were no proper evidences that Jeetan Marandi was involved in the killing, he was awarded death penalty along with his team members who were only cultural artistes engaged in creating awareness among the tribal people about their rights and responsibilities, she alleged.Revolutionary writer Varavara Rao demanded that the death sentences be revoked and the activists released. He described Jeetan as a well-known Adivasi cultural artiste and leader of Jharkhand Abhen (a cultural organisation), and also one of the secretaries of the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners. “Jeetan Marandi is not at all culprit. If Jharkhand government doesn’t respond positively, we will approach higher courts,” he said.Rao appealed to artists, writers, singers, and actors in the state to participate in the rally and support the social movement against death penalty to Jeetan Marandi. He also urged all human rights activists to rise against death penalty.Another member K Pratap Reddy, Praja Kala Mandali state secretary J Koti and Democratic Women Writers Association executive member Roshni also spoke.
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