Manifold protests with sole aim

Samaikya stir unabated on 44th day

Hyderabad: Protests continued unabated in Seemandhra districts on Day 44 against the proposed bifurcation of the State, with human rallies, bike rallies, fasts, human chains, demonstrations and road blockades taking centre-stage at various places. Normal life was severely affected due to a 48-hour shutdown called in Krishna district by the APNGOs.

‘Laksh Gala Garjana’

Nellore: The ‘Laksha Gala Garjana’ organised here resulted in a ‘polikeka’ by the All-Employees JAC and textile traders. The 72-hour strike of the electricity department employees of the Seemandhra region had its impact in the Rayalaseema region.

Power staff strike

Anantapur: At least 7,000 electricity employees in the district have been on strike since Wednesday. In Puttaparti, JAC leaders washed clothes on roads and ironed them. Viswabrahmins, along with their families, held a half-naked rally in Bukkapatnam and cooked food on the road.

Protests at offices

Vizianagaram: Samaikyandhra supporters laid siege to Central government offices, under the aegis of the Telugu Desam Party, disrupting work. They protested before the Head Post Office and Telephone Exchange, stopping officials who went back without attending duty. The Congress party organised a mass tree plantation drive.

Burrakatha on united AP

Kakinada: Samaikyandhra supporters enthused the agitators by presenting cultural programmes. They organised a ‘burra katha’ by the Kakinada Government Hospital employees on the importance of keeping the State united. Teachers performed ‘kolatam’. The agitators held a ‘Laksha gala garjana’ at Tatipaka.

Rally by CT staff

Srikakulam: The agitation continued on the 44th day. The Commercial Tax Department staff took out a rally to the Seven Roads Junction and formed a human chain. They swept roads in protest. Teachers held classes on the road.

Agitation stepped up

Visakhapatnam: Integrationists organised protests and rallies, and formed human chains and relay fasts at important junctions, crippling vehicular traffic for hours. Leaders of various JACs and political parties rendered songs, ‘Gandhi Puttina Desamaa Idi’ and ‘Telugu Jaathi Manadi’ at all camps. Stationery shop owners, printers and book sellers took out a massive rally. The agitators stopped Bheemli MLA Avanti Srinivas on the Anakapalle highway. A bandh was observed in Anakapalle to protest the alleged high-handed behaviour of the DSP.

Agitators enforce bandh

Eluru: The 48-hour bandh called by the Samaikyandhra JAC evoked a good response. Braving heavy rain, the protesters demonstrated in streets. Rallies, sports on streets and other forms of protests rocked the town. In Palakole, the agitators laid siege to the house of MLA Bangaru Usharani.

‘Samaikya Garjana’

Ongole: A ‘Samaikya Garjana’ was organised at ZP High School. While students displayed a huge national flag, Vishalandhra Mahasabha leader Parakala Prabhakar came on to the dais holding a ’samaikya jyoti’. The meeting observed a two-minute silence for those who had sacrificed their lives for Seemandhra. Employees of the district court and law department held ‘vanta varpu’ protest in the court despite a downpour. The 48-hour bandh in Chirala continued on the second day.

Students JAC meet

Kadapa: A meeting here of the Students JAC of 14 universities in Seemandhra resolved to intensify the Samaikyandhra struggle.

‘Mahila Garjana’

Kurnool: A ‘Samaikyandhra Mahila Garjana’ was conducted at Kondareddy ‘burzu’. Women from across the district took part actively, raising slogans. They pledged to continue the struggle till the decision to divide the State was dropped. The JACs of students and teachers launched massive rallies. Teachers gheraoed Pattikonda MLA K E Prabhakar. They laid siege to CPI office, demanding withdrawal of its letter on Telangana. The Animal Husbandry Department staff pulled symbolically Digvijay Singh with a rope tied around his neck. The Agriculture Department employees beat with footwear the images of Union Ministers.

Bapiraju blocked

Tirupati: Students blocked TTD chairman Kanumuri Bapi Raju when he reached the Renigunta Railway Station from Hyderabad for claiming that there was “no agitation” in Seemandhra. The police sent him to Tirumala with security.

Bandh success

Vijayawada: The second day of the 48-hour bandh called by the Samaikyandhra JAC was successful. People on their way to workspots were obstructed by agitators who patrolled all important junctions. They stopped private buses too.