AP bandh total, peaceful

​Vijayawada: A state-wide bandh called by the Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti demanding special category status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh was complete and peaceful.

The state came to a grinding halt on Monday in response to the call for the bandh, which was supported by the Left parties, chief Opposition party YSRCP, Congress and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena Party.

Thousands of functionaries belonging to the various political parties, representatives of civil society and youth organizations, students and common civilians enthusiastically participated in the bandh. Traders too extended their support to the bandh across the State. 

RTC buses remained in depots, commercial establishments, cinema halls and shops remained closed till afternoon in many parts of the state. No untoward incident has been reported in the state though angry protestors staged dharnas and took out rallies. Police forces were deployed in large numbers in cities like Vijayawada, Guntur, Vizag and Tirupati.

Responding to the bandh call, lakhs of people raised their voice demanding that the Union government grant the SCS and staged dharnas in front of RTC bus depots in Vijayawada, Vizag, Guntur, Tirupati, Kadapa, Eluru, Nellore, Ongole, Kurnool and other parts of the state. Hundreds of political leaders and thousands of workers belonging to YSRCP, CPM, CPI, Congress and Jana Sena took part in the protests and rallies.

In Vijayawada, the APSRTC has suspended services since morning. Most commercial establishments, shops, cinema halls and private offices remained closed till afternoon. Many private educational institutions declared holiday on Monday in view of the bandh.

SCS movement leaders Chalasani Srinivas, K Ramakrishma (CPI), P Madhu (CPM) and K Parthasarathi (YSRC) led the protests at the PNBS. The leaders alleged that the BJP and the TDP had betrayed the people of Andhra Pradesh. They vowed to continue the agitation till the Union government fulfilled the promises given to the people of Andhra Pradesh at the time of bifurcation.

Bandh paralysed normal life in many districts. In Guntur, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati, transportation was hit and other services remained out of reach for the people though emergency services were exempted from the purview of the bandh.

In Vizag, RTC suspended services in the morning.  Shops, private offices, commercial establishments remained closed. Busy junctions like Poorna Market, Allipuram, Gajuwaka, Akkayapalem markets wore deserted look as shops remained closed. Educational Institutions like Andhra University, Gitam postponed the examinations. Cinema halls and multiplexes cancelled morning shows.   

In Chittoor district, the bandh was peaceful barring an incident of miscreants setting ablaze a motorcycle in Tirupati. Braving the blazing sun, the angry activists of YSR Congress, Congress, CPM and CPI took part in the bandh and asked the traders to down the shutters. Holding the party flags, they actively participated in the bandh. Bus services to Tirumala were not affected as the organisers had exempted the transport service to the Hill shrine of Tirumala from bandh purview.

There was a mixed reaction for bandh in Nellore district. In Nellore city, some traders voluntarily closed down their shutters till afternoon. Some banks, government offices worked and there was no disruption of transport services. Sarvepalli MLA K Govardhan Reddy blocked the highway and the party cadre cooked food on the highway.  

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu said the APSRTC incurred around Rs 12 crore loss due to the bandh. He said nearly 65 lakh commuters suffered in the state. Reacting on the inconvenience caused to the passengers at the party coordination committee meeting, Naidu suggested that protests and agitations should not hamper development.

Stating that small vendors were affected, he said the protests and bandhs should not increase the burden on the state which has already been suffering due to the bifurcation.