Visakhapatnam: Left party leaders arrested

Visakhapatnam: Blocking the protesters, who were about to stage a peaceful rally, was not appropriate, alleged left party leaders on the police attitude.

Left parties on Thursday called for a peaceful protest from the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Gandhi statue to the GVMC main building demanding that a decision should be taken at the council meeting to reduce the tax burden on common man.

But before they could stage a dharna, the protesters were arrested on the spot by the police, bundled them up and taken them to the local police station.

Speaking on the occasion, CPI and CPM leaders M Pydiraju and Botta Eswaramma said it was wrong to make illegal arrests when the protesters wanted to take out a peaceful dharna.

Left party leaders demanded the withdrawal of property, garbage and water taxes with immediate effect.

They also criticised that a number of public issues were put aside and the council meeting was scheduled only to allot two acres of land for the YSRCP party office at Rushikonda.

Communist leaders V Krishna Rao, K Satyanarayana, M Subbarao, P Govind, M Rambabu, Ramani and 25 others were arrested and shifted to II Town police station.