Bandh evokes mixed response

Visakhapatnam: The state-wide bandh a call given by YSR Congress Party evoked mixed response in Visakhapatnam district on Tuesday. The YSR Congress Party activists gathered at the important locations and stopped the vehicles in the district. Majority of the educational institutions both private and the government were closed.  

The YSR Congress Party called for the state-wide bandh demanding that the Centre announce Special Category Status, special railway zone Visakhapatnam as headquarters and other assurances listed in the AP Reorganisation Bill-2014. Over 70 per cent of the RTC buses at all bus depots in the district were stopped in the morning.

At some places, the depot managers run the buses, but there is no big rush. The shops, hotels, restaurants and other commercial establishment were closed till 11 am. Initially, theatres planned to cancel the morning shows. However, except a few theatres, all the theatres screened the movies as usual.

All the leaders and party activists from morning gathered at various places in the city and at all the mandal headquarters and staged dharna and took out rallies. However, police prevented them at several places and took them into custody.

The party workers led by senior leaders Botcha Satyanarayana and Ummareddy Venkateswarlu, Tynala Vijaya Kumar, Malla Vijaya Prasad, Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav and other staged a dharna in front of the Maddilapalem RTC Complex.

Police arrested the leaders and activists and shifted them to various police stations, while Botca Satyanarayana, Ummareddy Venkateshwarlu and other leaders were shifted to Harbour Police Station.

Though the auto-rickshaw unions not announced solidarity with the bandh, about 50 per cent of the auto-rickshaws were stopped services till afternoon. There is a good response registered in the agency pockets. The auto-rickshaws, vans, and jeeps voluntarily stopped the services.
Bandh partial VZM, YSRCP leaders held

Vizianagaram: The bandh called in the state by the YSR Congress Party for not sanctioning Special Category Status was partially successful and passed off peacefully in Vizianagaram district. The leaders in every constituency rushed to the roads, staged dharnas and lambasted the Central and State governments. They stalled the RTC busses at bus stands and did not allow any bus to come out. 

MLC Veerabhadra Swamy, MLA P Pushpa Srivani and other constituency in charges participated in the bandh. But the heavily deployed police force arrested most of the leaders and sent them to the police stations. 

D Srinivasa Rao was arrested in Parvathipuram and sent to police station. Cadre in Cheepurupalli, S Kota, Gajapathinagaram and Nellimarla took part in the rally. P Pushpa Srivani, MLA of Kurupam, participated in a rally and alleged that the TDP and BJP leaders enjoyed the power for four years and now skipping their poll promises.

“The SCS should be given to Andhra Pradesh as it was the main demand and our legitimate right after the bifurcation of the state. The special status would create employment here and the youth in the state would get jobs,’” she said. 

However, after 10 am, the buses were plied with the help of police protection. Jostle took place between the police and YSRCP cadre in Parvathipuram. 

Srikakulam: YSRCP bandh received mixed response in Srikakulam on Tuesday. Bandh call was given protesting against the TDP’s lethargic attitude towards special status and the Central government’s negligence in fulfilling the assurances made to the state during bifurcation. 

Police made preventive arrests of all YSRCP leaders in all Assembly segments. Private schools, colleges declared holiday in advance to support bandh, commercial establishments and shops remained closed in the morning.

APSRTC stopped its bus services as YSRCP senior leaders Dharmana Prasada Rao, Dharmana Krishna Das, T Sitaram, R Shanti staged, along with party workers. Cinema theatres cancelled morning shows.

YSRCP MLA K Jogulu was arrested by police in Rajam. Party leaders S Appala Raju, P Tilak, S Rajaeekhar, M Ravi, G Kiran Kumar and ASuribabu were arrested across the district. 

The YSRCP leaders tried to shut banks and Central government offices but police foiled their efforts. YSRCP leaders took out rallies and staged protests in 10 Assembly segments across the district to explain failures of TDP.