Andhra Pradesh: CPI's 'Chalo Polavaram' program erupts tension as leaders were detained

The CPI led Chalo Polavaram yatra has led to tension with leaders across the state were detained by the police. The CPI state secretary Rama Krishna who was staying in a hotel Rajahmundry was house arrested and police were then heavily deployed at the hotel. The police have arrested the activists who are protesting against the detention of leaders in front of the hotel.

Police placed some of the leaders under house arrest, while others were taken into custody. CPI leaders were incensed that it was not right to prevent them from visiting Polavaram project in the wake of allegations that it was reducing the height of the project. Telugu Desam MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdhury, who had come to show solidarity with the CPI leaders was initially stopped by the police and was later allowed into the hotel.

CPI (M) national secretary Narayana in Tirupati expressed concern over the police detention of CPI leaders who had gone for a visit to Polavaram and protested on the road in front of RTC busstand. They demanded the immediate release of the illegally detained CPI leaders. Polavaram is a national project, anyone has the right to look into it at any time. He lamented that the government was acting undemocratically by making illegal arrests in the middle of the night. Meanwhile, police have diverted traffic in Tirupati due to CPI concerns.