Congress stages dharna at GHMC hqrs, demands aid to rain-hit city dwellers

Hyderabad: Telangana Congress took out a big rally and staged a protest at the GHMC headquarters on Friday, demanding that the State government take steps to provide the much-needed assistance to the rain affected residents in the city. High tension prevailed at the GHMC office when police and the agitating Congress party workers jostled each other. Police arrested the leaders and shifted them to police stations in different areas of the city.

Police restricted the Congress workers at the entrance of the GHMC office when they tried to barge into the premises. Party leaders and workers raised slogans against the State government for its failure in rescuing the dwellers in the submerged areas. They demanded immediate steps to provide the relief.

Party leaders M Anjan Kumar Yadav, former PCC president VH Hanumantha Rao, former MP Mallu Ravi, former MLA M Kodanda Reddy, former MLC Ramulu Naik, TPCC vice-president Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, GHMC party floor leader D Rajasekhar Reddy, Anil Yadav, Vijaya Reddy and others took part in the protest.

Speaking on the occasion, Kiran said that the protestors targeted State Minister KTR over his claims that Hyderabad had become a global city. He alleged that the city turned into garbage with just a single heavy rainfall. No steps have been taken to provide safety in the low-lying areas which have been inundated every time the city receives heavy rains.

Kiran and other leaders demanded that the State government sanction Rs 10,000 to each family as immediate relief. They asked why the MLAs and ministers were sitting idle when people were suffering. Several leaders, including party leader Vijaya Reddy tried to climb up the main gate of the GHMC office. Some party leaders managed to enter the GHMC premises and submitted a memorandum to the authorities. The Congress leaders also staged a protest before GHMC Commissioner Ronald Ross in his peshi for not allowing the Congress to stage dharna. They alleged that the Commissioner also refused to take the memorandum.