Hunger strike for SCS begins; Alluri kin join

Visakhapatnam: Several mass organisations and political parties under the aegis of Andhra Pradesh Special Category Status Sadhana Committee launched hunger strike at Mahatma Gandhi statue near RTC complex demanding SCS here on Thursday.

Committee convenor Chalasani Srinivas launched the stir and nephew of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Seetarama Raju, G Satyanarayan Raju along with students from 11 varsities across the state were present.

CPM and CPI senior leaders Ch Narsinga Rao and AJ Stalin were also present.

Chalasani Srinivasa Rao, who is also the founder president of AP Intellectual Forum, while addressing the gathering took on the State government for not exerting pressure on Union government for special category status and separate railway zone for Andhra Pradesh.

Taking a dig at Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Srinivasa Rao said the Central Minister sought SCS for 10 years and now singing a different tune.

G Satyanrayana Raju, wearing saffron robes was the centre of the attraction and said it was unfortunate that the Union government was dodging with the people of Andhra Pradesh since last three years to accord the status.

``Without special status, the State will become backward and lose competitions to other States in the South,’’ Raju said. He will be on hunger strike for 72 hours.

CPM leader Ch Narsinga Rao said Uttarakhand made a rapid development due to special category status and the chief minister should pressurize on the Centre rather towing its line.

``Though Polavaram project needed thousands of crores of rupees, the Union government sanctioned few hundred and tell the people that more would come later.

This is nothing but cheating the State government,’’ Narsinga Rao said.
Former MLA and senior Congress leader Dronamraju Srinivas, YSRCP leader Koyya Prasad Reddy, Lok Satta district president Beesetti Babji and several trade union leaders participated in the peaceful dharna and hunger strike.

Later Srinivasa Rao announced that they may convert the hunger strike into indefinite hunger strike after discussing with various leaders.