Plea to declare Baba's birthday as national holiday

Puttaparthi (Anantapur): Women, led by CPI leader Vema Narayna, staged a massive dharna demanding the State government to give prominence to Sathya Sai Baba here on Monday. They took out a rally from Satyamma temple to Tahsildhar Office in the town and staged a demonstration. Addressing the protestors, leaders reminded the welfare activities of the Baba. They urged the government to declare Baba's birthday as a national holiday and to introduce his biography in school and college curriculum. A Protestors appealed to the government to release postal stamp and coins in the name of Baba. They pointed out that labourers from the town are migrating to other places as the present State and Central governments were not implementing any major projects in the region. They ridiculed the government's decision to announce an award for the hospital of Union Minister Chiranjeevi's niece instead of Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital in the town, which was offering free health services to lakhs of poor patients. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the MRO, Mohan Das. A CPI leaders Vema Narayana, Ramalingappa, Gutha Jayaprakash, Jayalakshmi, Ramadevi, Krihsnamma, Chenna Keshavulu, Pula Shivappa and others participated in the programme.