Tension as municipal workers storm Collectorate in Eluru

Eluru: A tense situation prevailed as hundreds of workers, including striking municipal workers, tried to besiege the District Collectorate here on Tuesday. 

Police took into custody 21 leaders of CPI, CPM, AITUC and CITU leaders to ease the tension.

The workers led by AITUC and CITU rallied to District Collectorate in the morning and squatted for some time.

Later, they tried to break the barricades to enter the Collectorate compound, which led to a scuffle with the police.

However, as the workers did not turn back, the police pulled them from the barricades. 

The AITUC and CITU gave a state-wide call to picket the Collectorates in support of the strike of municipal workers and sweepers, to build pressure on the State Government to solve the problems of the workers.

The municipal workers demanded that the government regularise the contract workers as assured by TDP in its election manifesto. 

They also wanted the government to abrogate the GO 279, which affect the workers' employment. 

The AITUC District General Secretary, Konala Bhima Rao, leaders K Krishnamachari, Amanuddin,  CITU district leaders Karri Nageswara Rao, Mavuri Srinivasa Rao, A Syamala Rani, Municipal Contract Workers and Outsourcing Workers’ Federation leader P Ravi Kumar, KVPS district secretary P Ramakrishna, IFTU district secretary U Venkateswara Rao, leaders Badda Venkatrao and others led the picketing. 

The CPI District Secretary Dega Prabhakar and CPM Upland District Committee Secretary Chintakayala Babu Rao participated in the picketing to express solidarity to the agitating municipal workers. 
They addressed the gathering in the morning. Later, they moved towards the Collectorate, which led to a tense situation. 

The police arrested 21 leaders, including CPI Secretary Dega Prabhakar, CPM Secretary Chintakayala Babu Rao, AITUC General Secretary Konala Bhima Rao, CITU leaders Mavuri Srinivasa Rao, Karri Nageswara Rao and shifted them to the Three-Town police station. 

The workers immediately obstructed the police vehicle in which the leaders were shifted and raised slogans for the immediate release of their leaders. After an hour, the police released the leaders.