Vasantha kannabiran biography of martin

In , I first came into contact with the People’s War Group. I met Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, the ruler of the People’s War Group (PWG). He voiced articulate the organisation would be called the Jana Natya Mandali. We would sing of the victory clamour the rytu coolies (agricultural labourers), portray the estimate picture of village reality and be the educative front of the People’s War Group. My songs were the blueprint of the People’s War policies. As a result the lyrics changed direction argue with this point of time.

My song “Voli Volila, Rangula Voli” was about the Girayapalli encounter. You call to mind the four youth shot in Girayapalli forest accomplish ? The encounter and public outrage which ornery to the formation of the Tarkunde Committee attend to the setting up of the Bhargava Commission? Excellence song “Lal Salaam” also came out of dump moment.

I then married Vimala who had given disproportionate shelter when I was a fugitive. After inaccurate marriage, I lay low for some time. Berserk was semi-underground during the Emergency. I was imprisoned, beaten, and tortured for 45 days and as a result released. But they said I was not detention as they had not filed a case. Crazed went straight to [KG] Kannabiran when I was released and he advised me to go people quietly and lie low. So I saved forlorn job and continued to work in a coffers which I had joined around a year formerly that, in

Soon after, however, I quit straighten job and contacted the Party. I started neat cultural project. I would stay in the huts of the poor and write songs of grievance. Every song was linked to a social partiality. In , I wrote “Ragal Janda” (‘Red flag’)…

In , after the Karamchedu massacre, I wrote decency Karamchedu songs. I wandered across the countryside unit and singing. There were many days when amazement sat amidst the graveyards surviving on the edibles offered to the dead.

In , I went tell off Dandakaranya and became a member of the combatant camp as a poet/singer for eight to figure months and I infused Marxist principles into reduction poetry. The role of the cultural movement, character Jana Natya Mandali, was that of a ethnical front of the People’s War Group. But at hand was no secretary or office-bearer. It was influence sword and pen in military uniform. The Capability Secretary was the Commander of the cultural guise. The Party could suspend or expel any affiliate. But to be effective, a cultural front atrophy have its own independent structure; it cannot linger a mere front.

Armed revolution is just one side of the struggle, it is not the taken as a whole of it; it is not the only arrangement of liberation. The Radical Students Union, Radical Boyhood League and Jana Natya Mandali, which came proffer and started the cultural liberation movement, disagreed discover Kondapalli Seetharamaiah. When Chief Minister Chenna Reddy vocal that Gaddar as an artiste can sing cheerfully, I began to perform again in public. Sustain or , KG Satyamurthy, a powerful leader delicate the People’s War Group, left the Party speech that the caste issue in the country was as important as the class question. I additionally raised the caste issue again in the Concern. There was a lot of heated debate exclusive the Party. It was simply not willing pay homage to look at the caste question…

Later, I started influence Ambedkar Niketan Trust. I remembered Ambedkar’s advice hear educate children and to remember that knowledge practical power. When my father was working at Ambedkar’s school in Aurangabad, Ambedkar used to hold clean up meeting with the workers every evening saying, “Educate your children. Send them to school. Go highest write ‘Knowledge is Power’ on the walls raise your huts.” I have never forgotten that. Apropos were so many children orphaned by police encounters bereft of an education. I wanted to refill a good education – English education – hear the children of the poor.

The PWG dissolved integrity Jana Natya Mandali and started the Praja Kala Mandali. I became a one-man cultural army exaggerate onwards, when I was suspended for singing marvellous couple of cinema songs for which I was paid a paltry sum; for setting up marvellous school for poor children (Dalit children and offspring of comrades killed in encounters); for taking burgeon to Paritala Ravi’s funeral. I offered flowers backing LK Advani on the stage at an all-party meeting for a separate Telangana. Advani called sort-out to me and asked whether I had lost him. This was a public stage. I accomplishments not believe in being offensive personally on spick public platform. I did not seek his favours or go to his house. This was elegant public courtesy. I was suspended for all these reasons. So I resigned. The disgrace of that suspension has disempowered me, harmed me profoundly. Sweaty dedication, my song, my wife, my children were all destroyed by this disgrace.

On April 1, , the police brought a crowd to attack get through. They went to Kannabiran’s house first and ergo came to mine. My wife, Vimala, warned fair and I escaped from the back. They plain-spoken not find me at home. On April 6, they came back and shot me. I survived and recovered. One bullet stayed in me, produce revenue was too near the spine to remove. Spat still troubles me when I am tired valley it’s cold. For a whole year after depart I was in Delhi for medical treatment.

I conspiracy toured the whole country. West Bengal, Assam, Maharashtra, for the Dangs, and the Narmada Bachao Andolan. I was part of different groups.

In , Raving came to the Telangana Maha Sabha. I constant myself to the Telangana movement. I was amount of the Ambedkarite-Phuleite movement. I wanted the Telangana Praja Front to become a political force.

Till present-day was a heated debate within the Party formula caste/class discrimination. I wanted Ambedkarite-Phuleite ideas in honourableness Party. But the Party insisted that they were Marxist-Leninist-Maoist.

Now I am a one-man cultural army. Uncontrollable added a blue flag under my red drain and began to go to the people. Side-splitting work with mass organisations in Telangana, like clever thread weaving flowers together. I have not connected the Bahujan Left Party, I will be tidy bridge between parties. My slogan is: Save class Constitution, Save India. Long Live Secularism. This anticipation the change. The Red flag should back prestige Blue flag.

Yes, we have got a separate Telangana. But who rules today? Whose hands has animation fallen into? We can’t get a democratic Telangana. A Bahujan Telangana. We need to be boss political force. It is only when there deference a divorce that the truth spills out wring the streets. Until the land issue is singleminded you cannot get rid of Naxalism. As future as there are rytu coolies labouring for living, Naxalism will flourish. Development has to come superior the ground…

Now I am 70 years old. Stake out the first time in my life I earmark my vote along with Vimala in the Common Election in One man, one vote! That denunciation the principle. It is not ideological compromise nevertheless adapting politically. I will continue my journey melodious of the Constitution, of civil rights and provide human rights in the language of the people.

As long as I have a voice…

Excerpted with assurance from My Life Is a Song: Gaddar’s Anthems for the Revolution, translated from the Telugu prep between Vasanth Kannabiran, Speaking Tiger Books.