Andhra govt lifts ban on writers' group

Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday evening revoked the ban imposed on Revolutionary Writers Association, also known as Virasam, three months ago.

The government issued orders revoking the notification issued on August 17 outlawing Viplava Rachayitala Sangham following the findings of a three-member advisory panel headed by retired justice T L N Reddy that there was no sufficient case to declare Virasam as unlawful.

The government had imposed the ban on CPI-Maoist and seven of its frontal organisations, including Virasam, in the wake of the killing of  Congress legislator Chittem Narsi Reddy and 10 others by the Maoists at Narayanpet in Mahbubnagar district on Independence Day.

The ban on Virasam led to an outcry from the civil rights groups and human rights organisations.