Word has just come in that VV Rao has tested Covid positive. This was after a routine swab check that was done on 14th July after he was admitted to JJ hospital.
The Covid finding highlights the criminal negligence of the state jail authorities, who have been repeatedly warned about the danger of Covid in the Taloja Jail, and the fragile condition of the Hyderabad-based poet-writer. It is a matter of concern too that the trial court handling the Bhima Koregaon/Elgar Parishad case turned a deaf ear to pleas for medical bail seeing the poor health condition of VV Rao and the danger of Covid. Earlier, thehe jail authorities had, after protests of civil society about the neglect of VV Rao, had put another Bhima Koregaon accused, Vernon Gonsalves, to look after Rao in jail, thus putting Veron too at grave risk. In a related development, VV's wife, Hemlata, his two daughters and nephew Venugopal, met VV Rao in hospital yesterday, and came to see him in pathetic condition with the patient having to lie in urine soaked clothes for hours, and with very little nursing aid available at the hospital. Finally, it appears the JJ hospital authorities are considering shifting VV Rao to St George's hospital, a state run unit with Covid facilities. This is again bad news as St George's, with its poor health care record, may hardly be the place where Rao has a chance to recover. The only way he stands a good chance is if the Bombay High Court, hearing the matter tomorrow, gives him medical bail, and is shifted to decent private speciality hospital. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/greenyouth/CACEsOZibvONqwrFH3PfnKw6B4WtkKgNQk4OzodrynFhi4GJZ8A%40mail.gmail.com.
