Amid chants of ‘Lal Salaam’ (Red Salute) and ‘Johar Johar’ (Salutation), the body of former Delhi University professor G.N. Saibaba was donated to Gandhi Medical College for medical research on Monday.
The day began with family members, human rights activists and political leaders gathering at the Martyrs Memorial in Gun Park near the Telangana Assembly to pay their last respects. Emotional tributes and political chants resonated as the crowd honoured Saibaba’s contributions to human rights. However, there was tension in the air after police asked the activists to leave the site, citing the lack of prior permission for the gathering.
“They were at the Martyrs Memorial at the Gun Park for about 30 minutes. We asked them to leave as they were gathered there with the body without any prior permission. They held a small press meet with the media and left the premises,” said P. Raghavender, SHO Saifabad.
The body was then transported to Saibaba’s family residence near Moula Ali, where a large number of activists and friends assembled to pay tributes. The huge gathering spilled onto the nearby streets. Pamphlets distributed at the venue urged attendees to continue Saibaba’s fight for tribal rights and condemned the government’s pledge to make India Maoist-free by 2026. The pamphlet called for the working class to unite against what it described as ‘fascist forces’ threatening India’s democratic traditions.
At around 3 p.m., a procession of activists escorted the body from Moula Ali to Gandhi Medical College. By 4 p.m., doctors from the Department of Anatomy were ready to receive the body for donation. Speaking at the college, Saibaba’s daughter, Manjeera, recalled her father’s commitment to science and his aversion to traditional funerals. “As long as I can remember, my father has always been pro-science. He didn’t believe in funerals or last rites, and had decided that his body should be donated to benefit medical students,” she said.
Published – October 14, 2024 08:07 pm IST
