Dr sravan Dasoju written open letter to professor kodandaram

Hyderabad (RN) BRS senior leader Dr Sravan Dasoju Open Appeal to Prof. Kodandram On  July 3, in his open letter Respected Professor Kodandaram .

I fondly remember your contributions as a lecturer at Osmania University, a theoretician of left-wing student movements, and as the Vice President of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee, Hyderabad branch. During that time, I completed my degree from Nagarjuna Government College in Nalgonda district and, while pursuing an M.A. in Arts College, actively participated as a student leader in the nationalistic student organisation, eventually serving as the General Secretary of the Arts College Student Union.

As a student leader at Osmania University, I participated in many movements for student rights and against societal inequalities, often facing imprisonment. My academic career began in 1990 at the Administrative Staff College of India. Later, I worked as a part-time lecturer in the MBA Department at Osmania University and as an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Public Enterprise. After completing my PhD in 1996, I provided research and consulting services to prestigious organizations like the World Bank, DFID, Government of India, Tehri Hydro Development Corporation, Singareni, NMDC, and HZL. In 2000, I co-produced a socially conscious film titled 'Kubusam' with fellow students from Osmania University. The song "Palle Kanniru Pedutundi" from our film was used by Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy during the 2004 election campaign to secure a victory for the Congress Party.

Subsequently, while working in various international IT companies in Hyderabad as the head of human resources development and training departments, I was inspired by Shri Chiranjeevi Garu and Shri Pawan Kalyan Garu's commitment to social justice and social Telangana through the Prajarajyam Party. I resigned from my high-paying corporate job and entered full-time active politics with the belief in the principle that serving humanity is serving God.

Inspired by Telangana movement leader Shri KCR Garu, I actively participated in the Telangana movement under his leadership. In 2010, upon the proposal of Shri KCR Garu, you were appointed as the Chairman of the JAC and I participated in the first meeting held at Kalinga Bhavan under the leadership of Shri KCR Garu. As per his directions, I worked as an active steering committee member in the JAC along with the late leader Shri Naini Narasimha Reddy and Shri Etela Rajender Garu. I participated in numerous agitation programs such as the Million March, Sagara Haram, and Assembly siege. Despite facing numerous personal and family hardships, I worked tirelessly, sacrificing my salary, personal life, and family welfare, until the formation of the Telangana state.

Although Shri Chiranjeevi Garu offered me a promising political future, I considered it a great responsibility and moral duty bestowed by God to participate in the Telangana movement under the leadership of Shri KCR Garu. After the formation of Telangana, due to various reasons, I joined the Congress Party on April 12, 2004. I worked tirelessly for the strengthening the party  and for the rights of the people until August 5, 2023.

However, due to the lack of political experience, the absence of a political background in my family, and being born into one of the most backward communities, my political journey faced numerous obstacles. Nevertheless, the then Chief Minister Shri KCR Garu was kid enough to have nominated me, along with Shri Kurra Satyanarayana, a tribal leader and labor leader from the Erukula community, as an MLCs in the Governor's quota on July 31, 2023.

But, in an unprecedented move, the then Governor Smt. Tamilisai Soundararajan Garu, out of unjustified anger and retaliatory actions against Shri KCR Garu, rejected our nominations on September 19, 2023, citing political background and lack of sufficient information, thus violating our rights. In protest of this unconstitutional and unjust decision by the Governor, after careful consideration and numerous consultations, we approached the High Court seeking justice through WP 180 and WP 181 on December 7, 2023.

During the midst of the Court proceedings, while the case was pending in the High Court, Shri Revanth Reddy government and the then Governor, who had promised not to fill the MLC positions until 

the final court verdict, acted contrary to their promise. They proposed your name and another journalist as an MLCs on January 27, 2024, and sent it to the Governor for approval. Surprisingly, despite keeping our nomination pending for two months citing political background, the then Governor quickly approved your nomination overnight, issuing an official gazette. It was disheartening to see you becoming part of this conspiracy orchestrated by Revanth Reddy.

Upon recognising the wrongdoings by the Shri Revanth government and the then Governor, the High Court issued a stay order on January 31, 2024, against the appointments. Despite this, misleading campaigns were conducted to suggest that Shri KCR Garu obstructed your appointment, holding press meetings, burning effigies, and indirectly pressurising the High Court.

After full arguments, on March 7, 2024, the High Court Chief Justice delivered a final verdict, quashing the decisions made by the Governor regarding our nominations and yours, emphasising that the Governor must abide by the recommendations of the cabinet as per Article 171 (5). The court clarified that the Governor can seek any additional information, but can’t cannot reject the cabinet's recommendations. The governor can ask for reconsideration of the recommendations, only if the candidates attract disqualification under Article 191, which in any case does not apply to me or Shri Kurra Satyanarayana.

According to the High Court's verdict, the current Governor still needs to review the recommendations made by the previous cabinet regarding our appointments. Only after the current Governor takes an appropriate decision can Shri Revanth Reddy government proceed with any actions. Any repetition of previous violations would constitute a violation of the High Court's verdict and principles of natural justice.

As a professor, former Telangana JAC Chairman, and a known civil rights activist, your current conduct contradicts your earlier principles. Instead of supporting our rightful struggle, you have aligned yourself with Shri Revanth Reddy's petty conspiracy, which is neither admirable nor honorable.

Despite being a retired professor and government pensioner, I do not think you yearning for a government salary through the MLC position. The position you held as Telangana JAC Chairman is equivalent to a hundred MLCs. It is unfortunate that you have lost the wisdom to recognise this. In contrast, I come from a middle-class family, having left a promising corporate career, putting my entire life and family welfare on the line, sacrificing a high-paying job to fight for the people's rights for the past 17 years.

In a political environment dominated by dominant castes with business interests, opportunities for people like me from marginalized communities are rare, and even when they come, they are defeated by money power. Therefore, I am not willing to give up this opportunity given by Shri KCR Garu.

I request you not to obstruct our constitutional rights struggle. As a fellow movement leader who worked with you in the Telangana JAC steering committee, I seek your moral support for our legal fight and your assistance in securing our MLC appointments.