Cong protests arrest of leaders

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee leaders burnt an effigy of the Central and State governments at Andhraratna Bhavan, here on Tuesday, to register their protest against the arrest of Congress party leaders who participated in the Chalo Assembly programme on November 20. The Congress leaders condemned arrest.

Addressing the gathering, PCC general secretary Meesala Rajeswara Rao said that state government cannot stop agitation for ‘pratyeka hoda’ with the arrests, and criticized that the government was diluting the agitation for gaining political mileage. He said that it was not correct. He recalled that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured at the time of elections that he would give special category status to AP, if the BJP comes to power and added that after coming to power, BJP and TDP governments had been cheating the people of AP.

He said, “If the Centre will give SCS to AP, entrepreneurs would set up industrial units and as a result youth will get jobs.” He warned that the voters would teach a fitting lesson to the BJP and TDP governments.

DCC president Dhanekula Murali Mohan threatened the governments that the Congress would continue its agitation till the SCS was given to AP.

Mahila Congress State president Sunkara Padma, said that SCS was the right of the people of AP.

APCC leader V Gurnadham, Venna Ramesh were among those who participated.