Vijayawada: CPM demands ex-gratia to families of drowned students

Vijayawada (NTR District): Expressing concern over the inordinate delay on the part of the State government in announcing ex-gratia to the families of six students, who drowned in sea at Suryalanka beach, the CPM leaders took out a rally in 61st division at Payakapuram here on Tuesday. They demanded the State government to act fast and announce the ex-gratia to the victims' families.

Addressing the gathering, CPM State executive member Ch Babu Rao said that the YSRCP leaders are more interested in their own affairs rather than the suffering of the people after the tragic incident.

The CPM leaders distributed pamphlets to people regarding the negligence of the State government and appealed to people to support the aggrieved families.

It may be recalled that six students went to Suryalanka Beach and accidentally met with watery grave two weeks ago. Babu Rao said that Central MLA Malladi Vishnu, who assured the families that he would speak to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on the issue of ex-gratia, has remained silent. "There is no response from the CM or the government, which boasts that it is a welfare government," he criticised.

Babu Rao recalled that when the CPM leaders demanded ex-gratia and staged protest demonstration, police officials booked cases against them.

He demanded the government to announce ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh immediately to each of the families and to give pucca houses. He also demanded that criminal cases should be withdrawn immediately.

CPM leaders B Ramana Rao, Ch Srinivas, Peer Saheb, Sujata, Sivaparvati and others participated in the rally.