Dr. Gadala Srinivasa Rao, a well-known figure in the Telangana Public Health Department, has been granted permission for voluntary retirement by the State government. This decision was made on Monday. Dr. Rao, who served as the Director of Public Health, has been in the spotlight due to several controversial statements, many of which were political in nature.
The government carefully examined his request before allowing Dr. Rao to retire voluntarily. He will officially retire from his position on August 8, 2024. His retirement is in accordance with Rule 43 of the Telangana State Revised Pension Rules, 1980. However, this retirement does not affect any existing or future disciplinary actions or financial recoveries that may be required from him.
Dr. Rao has been known for his political interests, particularly his desire to run for elections in Kothagudem with the BRS party. He has made headlines for his political comments, including criticizing the local MLA and suggesting that there should be a retirement age in politics. Additionally, he was criticized by the Forum for Good Governance for claiming that the control of the Corona pandemic in the State was due to divine intervention rather than the government’s vaccination efforts. He also mentioned having been influenced by naxalites during his upbringing.
The Forum for Good Governance highlighted another incident where Dr. Rao, during an Iftar dinner, shared a personal story. He recounted how, as a child, he sustained an injury, and doctors expressed concern over his recovery. His grandfather then took him to a mosque where a moulana tied a ‘Tayath’ on him. According to Dr. Rao, the wound healed shortly after this, and he attributed his recovery and his position to the divine power of the Tayath.
