Congress blocks NH, seeks Special Category Status to AP

Nellore: Demanding Special Category Status (SCS) to the Andhra Pradesh, District Congress Committee (DCC) leaders and activists organised a protest on the NH-16 blocking traffic for an hour on Friday led by DCC president P Krishnaiah.

Addressing the party workers, Krishnaiah said the BJP-led NDA government has to fulfil the AP Reorganisation Act by setting up assured 11 educational institutions in the state. He said the Modi government and the ruling TDP in the state have deceived people without according SCS to AP that showers many benefits.

The Congress leader said they were taking up protests for the last 4 years in the country as well state for achieving the special status. A state-level body was also formed for achieving the SCS and the Congress also joined as member for extending their support.

He lamented that there was no mention about Dugarajapatnam Port, railway zone, steel factory and other assurances in the central budget. Even though, many educational varsities were sanctioned as part of the AP Reorganisation Act there were no adequate allocations from the governments, he said.

Dr Krishnaiah said that they had organised 'Andhrula Atma Gourava Deeksha' from Feb 23 to 28 and they would be taking up Chalo Parliament on March 6,7 and 8. He also said the Congress party along with 14 other political parties going to stage protests in the Parliament from March 5 to April 9. Leaders from CPM, CPI, Jana Sena, NSUI, ASFI, Dalit and BC organisations also participated in the protest.

CPI leader Ramaraju, CPM leader Ajaya Kumar, Jana Sena representative Tony Babu, Congress leaders CV Sesha Reddy, Ch D Reddy, former ZP Chairman P Ch Yadav, and others were present.