Hyderabad: The body of former Delhi University professor GN Saibaba was donated to the state-run Gandhi hospital here Monday after several political leaders, activists and friends paid their tributes to him.
Saibaba (58) died due to post-operative complications at the state-run Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) here Saturday.
Saibaba’s daughter Manjeera said it was her father’s wish to donate the mortal remains. Her father used to say that only the thoughts and ideas of the person would remain after his death and nothing else, she said.
A red cloth was draped on the casket in which the former professor’s body was kept.
Saibaba’s body was taken in a procession from his brother’s residence at Moula-Ali to the Gandhi hospital.
The former professor’s friends and activists raised slogans hailing him, ‘lal salam’ and that the anti-Maoist ‘Operation Kagar’ should be stopped. Some held placards saying voices should be raised on behalf of the Adivasis, Dalits and the oppressed.
Senior Congress leader K Keshav Rao, BRS president K T Rama Rao and other leaders and activists paid tributes to the departed soul at his brother’s residence where it was kept for friends and others to pay their homage.
“Paid my respects to Prof. G N Saibaba Garu at his residence in Hyderabad today. He was arrested under UAPA, denied bail on health grounds for years even though he had 90 per cent disability and did not even get parole to attend his mother’s last rites,” Rama Rao said on ‘X’.
Saibaba was acquitted of UAPA charges after spending nearly a decade in jail, he said.
CPI national secretary K Narayana wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India in which he alleged that Saibaba’s demise was “not a natural death but definitely institutional murder”.
Referring to Saibaba’s acquittal, Narayana found fault with the government for instituting criminal charges under UAPA against him and “jail authorities and personnel who tortured and ill-treated him”.
The CPI leader said the apex court should find out who was at fault when Saibaba was found to be not guilty.
Earlier, the body of Saibaba was taken to the martyr’s memorial at Gun Park in front of the Telangana legislature. The mortal remains were not allowed to be taken out of the ambulance as any activity at the place requires permission from competent authorities as it was a VIP zone, police said.
However, Saibaba’s friends and others held banners at the Gun Park, hailing him and raised slogans like ‘Saibaba amar rahe’.
Saibaba’s family said Sunday that his eyes had already been donated to LV Prasad Eye Hospital here.
In March this year, Saibaba was released from the Nagpur Central Jail after 10 years of incarceration.
The Bombay High Court set aside the life sentence handed to him by a trial court in an alleged Maoist links case in which the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was invoked.
The former professor who taught English at Ram Lal Anand College of Delhi University (DU) died on Saturday due to postoperative complications, seven months after he was acquitted.
Saibaba was suffering from gall bladder infection and was operated on two weeks ago in the state-run NIMS, but developed complications subsequently.
PTI