Andhra Pradesh highlights Visakhapatnam Steel Plant during Bharat Bandh
APSFL chairman P Gowtham Reddy, CPI secretary Ramakrishna, leaders and activists of various parties protesting during Bharat Bandh opposing the privatisation of the Vizag Steel Plant and farmers issues in Vijayawada on Friday. Photo: Ch Venkata Mastan
Vijayawada: The nationwide bandh called by farmer unions on Friday against the three new agriculture laws got localised with opposition to the proposed privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant becoming the rallying point.
The major cities across the State wore a deserted look. All government offices, banks, commercial establishments and cinema theatres remained closed.
Barring the BJP, the leaders of all political parties, including the ruling YSR Congress took part in the bandh. Leaders of all political parties went around to enforce the bandh.
The government, which had supported the bandh, suspended the Road Transport Corporation bus services across the State till 1 pm. Educational institutions remained shut while normal business establishments functioned as usual.
The Left parties organised rallies and staged dharnas in Tirupati, Guntur, Kurnool, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. The Telugu Desam Party and the Congress too joined the protests. In Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president S Sailajanath led a protest rally and extended solidarity with the agitating farmers. He also demanded that the Centre withdraw the proposal to sell away the VSP as the unit was the right of Andhra people.
The members of APNGOs' Association staged a protest demonstration against the privatisation of the Visakha Steel Plant and demanding withdrawal of the farm laws in Vijayawada.
Rallies, human chain and rasta rokos were organised as a part of the nationwide bandh. Continued on Page 7