V Rosamma, known popularly as Dubagunta Rosamma, who championed the anti-liquor movement in Andhra Pradesh, died on Sunday following a prolonged illness at the age of 93.
Rosamma hit the headlines in 1991 when she initiated a mass agitation demanding implementation of prohibition in the state. Following this, the then Congress government, headed by Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy, promptly banned the sale of arrack. The Congress government even promised to implement ban on IMFL in a phased manner.
Rosamma, who was a household name during her anti-liquor campaign days, did not get adequate medical help from the government during the last days before her death. She suffered from kidney failure and could not get dialysis done on a regular basis in the past three months for want of money. During her last days, doctors at the Nellore government hospital advised her to stay back for regular health check-ups but family members took her back to their native village owing to financial constraints.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and municipal administration leader P Narayana condoled the death of Rosamma, calling her an inspiring leader.