Women give a boost to Samaikya stir

Thousands of employees participate in ‘Mahila Garjana’

Rajahmundry: Women plunged into the Samaikyandhra agitation with a bang on Saturday, intensifying the movement in East Godavari district. Thousands of women employees came onto the roads following a call given by the APNGOs and organised rallies and meetings in Kakinada, Rajahmundry and Amalapuram. Women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and girl students also intensified their protest against the bifurcation of the State.

At Kakinada, women employees, SHG members and students organised ‘Mahila Garjana’ at the Collectorate. The agitators expressed their anguish that the Central government was speeding up the process of bifurcation ignoring the agitations that were going on in 13 Seemandhra districts. They came down heavily on the people’s representatives for not resigning from their posts while people from all walks of life were agitating. Women warned that they would intensify their stir if the division of the State was not stopped.

At Rajahmundry, women, under the ages of District Judicial Employees’ Association, demonstrated their protest in an unusual way. Women went door-to-door and put ‘bindi’ on the forehead of women in support of Samaikyandhra. They stopped cars also and put ‘bindis’ on the women in the vehicles. At Kotagummam Centre, teachers taught lessons to students on the road as part of ‘deeksha’ taken up by Rajahmundry Division Teachers’ JAC. Hindi teachers took classes on the road marking Hindi Day celebrations. MEPMA employees sat on relay hunger strike in front of Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation while employees from all the departments participated in a relay hunger strike under the ages of APNGOs in front of Rajahmundry Sub-Collector’s office.

Meanwhile, Revenue employees took up ‘Bus Yatra’ to create awareness on Samaikyandhra in the villages. They visited villages in Rajanagaram, Korukonda, Seethagaram and Gokavaram mandals. Employees participated in the yatra under the ages of Rajahmundry Revenue Services Association president GD Kishore Babu. He stressed the need for awareness on Samaikyandhra movement among the public.

Power staff lay siege to Vundavalli’s house

Members of the Electricity Employees’ JAC laid siege to the house of Rajahmundry MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar demanding his resignation in support of Samaikyandhra. A large number of employees and workers staged a dharna in front of the MP’s house and sat on the road demanding his resignation. Addressing the protesters, district JAC convenor G Narsimham demanded the resignation in the Speaker’s format. He found fault with the MP for mentioning that he had sent his resignation letter to the Congress high command. District convenor Nakkapalli Samuel warned that electricity employees would intensify the stir in support of Samaikyandhra. He said the situation worsened following the 72-hour strike and affirmed that they would not hesitate to go on an indefinite strike if the government did not take back its bifurcation decision.