Stir against transfer of mandals

• Girijans, Oppn parties block roads for three hours
  
• Want mandals to be retained in Telangana
  
• Plan to meet President, NaMo seeking to drop ordinance

Bhadrachalam: Vehicular traffic on the national highways in Khammam district, besides in Bhadrachalam and Palvancha mandals was severely affected on Saturday, as dharnas, demonstrations and ‘rasta roko’ protests were organised under the auspices of Girijan associations and All-Opposition parties demanding retention of the mandals to be affected by the Polavaram project in Telangana.

The protesting villagers came out on to the roads and blocked traffic at Bhadrachalam bridge centre, Medipalli, Kukunoor, Lankapalli, Chindoor, Chatti, Tulasipaka and Tulugonda highways/roads for three hours from 8 am to register their opposition to the ordinance issued by the Centre merging the affected mandals in Andhra Pradesh. They said there was no question of the residents of these mandals going to stay in the Andhra region and that they were prepared to make any sacrifices.
The girijans and other demonstrators alleged that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu were trying to sacrifice two lakh girijans for the benefit of corporate companies.

District leaders of the TRS, CPI(M), CPI(M-New Democracy), Congress, TNGOs association and the Girijan sanghams were among those who took part in the demonstrations. Following the success of the protest programme, the Girijan associations and All-Opposition parties resolved to finalise the future course of action and to meet President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding withdrawal of the ordinance.