AIDWA burns effigy of Scholar facing molestation charges

Hyderabad, Sep 17 (UNI) The State unit of the All India Democratic Women's Association today staged a 'rasta-roko' and burnt the effigy of Vedi Scholar and Sahasra Avadhani Madugula Nagaphani Sharma against whom a married woman settled in the US filed a case in Los Angeles, alleging that he tried to molest her.

Mr Sharma, who was the Official Language Commission Chairman during the erstwhile TDP regime, became famous through his unique feat of answering the questions of 1,000 people in poetic expression and had visited many parts of the world at the invitation of the NRI Telugus.

A case was registered against him in Los Angeles recently when he visited the US to attend the meeting of the European Telugu Association (ETA). Mr Sharma was invited to the house of an NRI, where he was alleged to have tried to molest a married woman.

AIDWA activists, who burnt Mr Sharma's effigy urged the Government to take back the land it had given to him to establish Sharada Peetham in the city. AIDWA activist Swaroopa Rani said it was shameful that a person with such character enjoyed Government patronage.

Ms Rani said they had information that the Government also gave Mr Sharma Rs one crore for the establishment of the Sharada Peetham and urged the Government to recover the amount immediately from him.

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