Visalandhra activists gherao Congress HQ

New Delhi: The Visalandhra Mahasabha on Sunday gheraoed the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters in the Capital on Sunday, protesting the ruling party decision on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Protestors raised slogans of Sonia Down, Down. Tension prevailed for over two hours.

It was a major security breach as the AICC headquarters is just adjacent to the residence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Police was taken completely by surprise. It was only after the sudden and surprise gherao that the police entered into discussions with the protestors, even as additional police forces were called in.

Exercising great restrain, the Delhi Police did not resort to use of force for a long time. They announced on public address system that the protest was illegal and they should leave the premises immediately. After all efforts failed, the protesters were arrested and taken away.

Earlier in the day, the Visalandhra Mahasabha staged a dharna at Jantar-Mantar in the Capital, demanding continuation of united Andhra Pradesh. In a day long protest, it highlighted the dangers flowing from the decision on the bifurcation of the state.

Visalandhra Mahasabha President N Chakravarthi said that 70 per cent of the people in Andhra Pradesh did not favour division of the State.

“If people of Andhra Pradesh do not want division, and almost all the allegations of separatists have been proven false, then why is the UPA government adamant about dividing the State,” he asked. The Congress believee, he said, that by dividing Andhra Pradesh, it would them a handful of MP seats in Telangana. This kind of opportunistic, divisive politics were detrimental to India’s unity.