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Bhavani would have
been any other girl, sweating it out in the kitchen through her life. Her
transformation into Kavitha, a squad area committee member in the PGA, shows the
power of the people’s movements, which turn hoi polloi into better human beings.
A high scool dropout, Bhavani was born into a typical lower middle-class family,
which could hardly feed its members, not to speak of educating its children.
Understanding the ground realities well, she had decided to put a full stop
after she passed seventh class. She asked her elder and younger brothers to
carry on their educational careers, while finding her place at home, taking care
of the household activites. The shifting of the family to Hyderabad opened a new
chapter in her life. Gradually, Bhavani came into contact with women’s
ogranisations. She never looked back after being convinced that the only way to
liberate the downtrodden and women is to overthrow the rulling classes. After
working for about two yeras in the mass organisations, she went underground and
worked in a number of villages in Nalgonda and Mahboobnagar districts, educating
the people and preparing them for the struggle. As she headed further in the
movement, she found in Rameshwar, the then city secreatary, her compaion. She
always preferred to be an ordinary activist and never tried to show off. In
1997, her companion was killed in a fake encounter. But this failed to
dishearten her. She had decided to march ahead to carry on the unfinished tasks
of Rameshwar and other top leaders whom she knew from close quarters.
She became a SAC
member in Nalgonda district. She laid down her life while fighting the enemy in
the encounter on June 8, leaving a trail of wonderful memories. As a
revolutionary poet put it, she was a diamond shaped up by people.
The funeral rally
turned into a protest rally, with hundreds of friends, sympathisers and members
of various people’s organisations taking out a long procession. The rally which
began at Malkajgiri in the city culminated in a public meeting at the Amberpet
graveyard, 22 km away from her parent’s place. AILRC secretary Gaddar, AIPRF
general secretary Saibaba, Andhra Pradesh Chaitanya Mahila Samakhya president B
Jyothi, APCLC president Ratnamala, Virasam leader Chalasani Prasad and leaders
of various mass organisations were present. Gaddar sang songs, paying tributes
to the Kanagal martyrs. As the body of Kavitha was consigned to the flames, an
impromputu meeting was organised where several speakers reminisced Kavitha.
15/4/2001
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