Police foil Left, Jana Sena Party bandh

Tirupati: The bandh called by CPM, CPI and Jana Sena Party (JSP) witnessed the police arresting large number of activists when they went in rally to enforce the bandh, in several towns in Chittoor district, on Friday. CPI state leader P Harinadha Reddy and CPM district secretary A Pullaiah-led the activists in Tirupati while in Chittoor CPI district secretary A Rama Naidu spearheaded the activists to organise the bandh. 

In many towns, the activists saw the shops were shut down before they were taken into custody by the police on the charges of forcing traders to shut down business and were later let off in the evening on personal surety.

Left leaders including CPI district secretary A Rama Naidu and CPM senior leader K Kumar Reddy said more than 500 were detained by the police in Chittoor, Madanapalle, Srikalahasti, Puttur and Tirupati at the behest of the government to foil the bandh.

The Left Parties and JSP called for the bandh in the six districts including the four Rayalaseema districts, Nellore and Prakasam protesting the apathy of the government in taking relief measures in the mandals declared by the government as drought affected to mitigate the suffering of the people more so farmers and agriculture workers in rural areas. 

In Tirupati at several places including Sri Venkateswara University, Municipal office road and Chinna Bazar, the activists clashed with the police when they were stopped from closing the shops and commercial establishments.

Tension prevailed for some time in these places when the workers stiffly resisted the police detaining them, resulting in a tough tussle between them. The protestors raised slogans condemning the government and the police resorting to highhanded measures to foil the bandh. 

The Left parties and JSP demanded the government to reschedule farm loans in the mandals declared as drought affected, waiving of school and college fee for students, supply of fodder to avoid distress sale of cattle to slaughter houses and taking up labour intensive works for the employment of the drought affected in the mandals.

Bandh evokes partial response
Bandh call given by Left parties and Jana Sena has evoked mixed response in the district. Except closure of private schools and colleges, banks and government offices ran as usual. The RTC ran services as police provided security at depots. The protesters entered into heated argument with cops when latter tried to evict them from blocking Mumbai-Kadapa national highway. 

Speaking the occasion, CPM district secretary M Anjaneyulu said it is unfortunate that the State government is suppressing the basic rights by arresting the agitators instead finding a solution for prevailing severe drought situation in the Rayalaseema region.