Controversy Over Gaddar's Last Rites: Political Leaders Pay Respects, Anti-Terrorism Forum Protests State Honours

Leaders of different political parties and eminent people from various walks of life paid their last respects to revolutionary balladeer Gaddar, who passed away on August 6.

Union Minister of Tourism and Culture and Telangana BJP president G. Kishan Reddy, Telangana Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, state ministers A. Indrakaran Reddy, T. Srinivas Yada and E. Dayakar Rao were among the top leaders who paid their respects to Gaddar at LB Stadium.

The body of Gaddar was kept at LB Stadium since Sunday evening to enable people to pay their last respects.

Veteran actor Mohan Babu, Kinnera player Darshanam Mogulaiah and BJP MLA M. Raghunandan Rao were among those who paid their respects and consoled the family members of Gaddar.

Earlier, actor politician Pawan Kalyan, state minister for industries and information technology K. T. Rama Rao, minister for tribal welfare Satyavathi Rathore, BRS leader K. Kavitha and others visited LB Stadium to pay their respects.

The last rites of the balladeer will be conducted at Alwal on the city outskirts later in the day with state honours.


Gaddar’s body will be brought to Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial Gun Park near Assembly and from there it will be taken in a procession to his residence at Alwal. He will be cremated at Mahaboodhi Vidyalaya set up by Gaddar at Alwal.

Popular as a people's poet, Gaddar passed away here on Sunday, after a brief illness. He was 77.

The Telangana government on Sunday night has decided to conduct his last rites with state honours.


Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao decided to perform last rites with state honours in recognition of the sacrifices he made throughout the life and public service he rendered.

Terming Gaddar a proud son of Telangana, KCR said he lived his life for the people.

He directed Chief Secretary Santhi Kumar to discuss with Gaddar’s family and make necessary arrangements for conducting the last rites with state honours.


Gaddar breathed his last at a private hospital, where he was admitted 10 days ago following cardiac arrest. Doctors said he passed away due to lung and urinary problems and advanced age.

Meanwhile, the government of Telangana's decision to conduct last rites of revolutionary balladeer Gaddar with state honours has come under flak from Anti-Terrorism Forum (ATF).

The organisation alleged that the government's move amounts to an insult to the police personnel and civilians who were martyred in the fight against Naxalism (Maoism).


ATF secretary Ravinuthala Shashidhar said that Gaddar, with his revolutionary songs, attracted youth towards the Maoist movement. By taking up arms against democracy, Maoists killed thousands of policemen. They also targeted ordinary citizens and nationalists.

Shashidhar said in a statement that Gaddar through his poetry prepared youth to become anti-nationals and take up armed struggle against democracy and the decision of the Telangana government to conduct last rites of such a person with state honours deserved to be condemned.

The ATF leader said that the state government's decision is an insult to police martyrs who laid down their lives to safeguard democracy and maintain law and order. He also believes that the decision will hit the morale of the police force.

Shashidhar said the government’s decision will upset the families of police martyrs. He suggested that the Police Officers' Association should also open its mouth and make the government withdraw its decision.

He said this should not be seen as cremation of an individual. If last rites are conducted with state honours, this would mean making the police force salute Maoism. - IANS