Vijayawada: People stage dharna demanding aid

Vijayawada: Maintaining social distance, people in large numbers staged protest demonstrations by standing outside their houses in various divisions in the city on Monday demanding that the government come to their rescue on a war-footing.

Led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the people of the divisions from 57 to 64 in Central Assembly constituency and 50,51,43,44, 55 divisions in West Assembly constituency staged a day-long protest appealing to the State government to provide succour to them in view of the pandemic prevailing in the country.

CPI-M state executive member Ch Babu Rao said the coronavirus has been wreaking havoc throughout the country and world and people are in deep distress.

He alleged that both the State and the Central governments failed to rise to the occasion and solve the problems of the people.

Though there is plenty of foodgrains available in the warehouse, the governments were not distributing the same to the poor, he said.

"The State government boasted that they would provide ration to the people who do not hold ration cards but it was not put into practice."

He recalled that the Kerala government was giving 17varieites of essential commodities to the people, but the State government was giving only rice, Bengal gram and dal.

Babu Rao said the migrant workers were not allowed to go to their villages and were not allowed to cook their own food which is unjust.

"It is gross unjust that the help rendered by the State and the Centre is not reaching the people," he said.

He appealed to the State and the Centre to immediately come to the rescue of people.