Meet this Maoist turned Adivasi MLA who treks through Telangana forests to provide essential supplies

Dansari Anasuya is an Indian politician, a congress MLA from the Mulugu district of Telangana. She is popularly known as “Seethakka”, and part of her name in Telugu means “Elder sister.” She is a ray of hope for people in these times of pandemic from the COVID-19. She has reached out to people across more than 150 hamlets delivering them essential supplies herself by tractors and bullock carts. She is a true leader who takes it upon herself to serve her people.

The young “Seethakka” decades ago was a Maoist leader fighting the prevailing feudalism in Arunachal Pradesh. It was during this time that she learned to travel long distances, knowing the routes, familiarizing with hard terrain, fighting for a cause, serving for the greater good of the people. Her constituency is one of the largest constituencies spread over 200 sq. km filled with thick forests and hard to access terrain, but this has not affected any of her efforts to be there for her people.

Every day early in the morning groceries and vegetables are loaded onto the tractors and bullock carts and she takes the initiative to take these essential food supplies and making sure that they reach those who are needy and starving. She leaves by dawn and on average each day she and her team covers about ten villages and she returns by night. Reaching out to people is not an easy task due to forest patches and hard terrain but being a former Naxal she has the training and knows all the shortcuts, inside routes cutting through the dense forests.

She joined the Naxal movement at an early age and in 2004 she surrendered and after that, she joined into politics. Seethakka did not join politics for the fame and glory but because she wanted to help people, she wanted to be there for those who need help, only by being a part of politics could she serve her people and aid them into having a better life.

There were many times when the tractors and bullock carts could keep up with the terrain and in those times without even slightest hesitation the 48-year-old MLA walked at least 15 km with the essentials to reach out to her people.

Seethakka told that many tribes are living in dense forest areas and due to the lockdown any source of communication and outside help had been cut off, and it became her responsibility as the elected representative to make sure that the essential supplies such as rice, grains, pulses, vegetables, soaps reach to the people as this will help in maintaining their immunity and ensure their survival against COVID-19. She was even one of the first in Telangana assembly raising the issue of shortage of masks.

Seethakka – “Elder sister” is one true to her name and it is her leadership and extraordinary efforts that the people look up to her, she is a nationwide inspiration teaching selflessness and true humanitarian efforts towards the people.

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