Amaravati: Chandrababu Naidu leads protest for construction workers

Amaravati: On the third day of the Assembly session, the TDP MLAs and MLCs led by Leader of Opposition in Assembly N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday held a protest rally up to the House premises demanding relief to the constructions workers in the state.

Naidu registered his protest against the government's 'indifference' by holding a 'tapi' (mason's trowel), plumb rule and bob and a cement pail on his head, all work tools of masons. Over 30 lakh construction workers were out of work because of sand shortage in the under Jagan Mohan Reddy's rule, he claimed.

The TDP MLAs and MLCs held placards and raised slogans against the government, demanding reintroduction of the free sand policy. The ruling YSRCP caused artificial sand shortage leading to collapse of the construction industry, they said.

TDLP Deputy Leader K Atchannaidu deplored construction workers' suicides because of the crisis. Alleging the existence of sand mafia in the state, Atchannaidu blamed the YSRCP leaders of 'rampant exploitation' of the sand resources in disregard to the interests of the construction industry and public.

TDLP Deputy Leader Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary said the ruling party leaders have turned sand shortage into a money spinning racket.