People, politicians pay last tributes to Sai Baba

Hyderabad: "Long live, long live, Sai Baba long live" slogans reverberated as people paid tributes to the former Delhi University (DU) professor GN Sai Baba on Monday. Sai Baba died on Saturday while undergoing treatment for a gall bladder ailment at Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS). After being in jail for 10 years, Sai Baba was acquitted by Bombay high court in March 2024, absolving him of the charge levelled against him by Maharashtra police that he had links with the banned CPI (Maoist). On Monday, his body was taken from the mortuary by his family while members of Civil Liberties Committees and others also gathered at the hospital. His body was wrapped in a communist flag before it was taken to the Telangana Martyrs' statue at Gun Park. Later, it was taken to his residence in Moula Ali where it was kept for people to pay their homage. "Professor Sai Baba was killed by the state" was one of the banners by CLC welcoming people who reached the place. Many raised slogans and sang songs in support of Sai Baba, while others recalled his contribution to human rights.Apart from people from different communist organisations, leaders from BRS, Congress and other parties also paid tribute.From BRS, it was MLA Harish Rao who first came and expressed his condolences. Subsequently, BRS MLAs KT Rama Rao, KP Vivekanand, M Krishna Rao and other senior leaders reached Sai Baba's residence and laid wreaths. Minutes later, a section of people present at the venue started to raise slogans "go back, go back, KTR go back". Later in the day, CLC members, while speaking to TOI, expressed regret at the unexpected sloganeering against KTR. Associate professor PK Vijayan of Hindu College of Delhi University and Jenny Rowena, wife of Bhima-Koregaon case accused MT Hany Babu of Delhi University, were among the many who came to Hyderabad and paid their last respects. Finally, the body was taken out in a procession to Gandhi Hospital where it was donated by his family.
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