Samaikyandhra agitators take up variety of protests

Lay siege to houses of Panabaka, Parthasarathy & Y S Vijayamma

Hyderabad: The Samaikyandhra struggle which entered the seventh day in the Seemandhra districts was marked by the agitators taking to a variety protests like playing cricket, volleyball and caroms and taking along donkeys. While archakas joined the agitation, the police lifted Chittoor MLA C K Babu to hospital ending his fast on its sixth day. Samaikyandhra supporters laid siege to the houses of Ministers Panabaka, Parthasarathy and MLA Y S Vijayammama.

Cable operators join agitation

Anantapur: Cable operators joined the Samaikyandhra agitation and stopped their telecasts by voluntarily observing a bandh. Leaders of the Samaikyandhra Joint Action Committee and Arya Vaisya Sangham organised rallies in Penukonda, Somdevpalli and Gorantla mandals. The operators squatted at RDO office, launched a relay fast. They staged a dharna in Rayadurgam. The agitators organised a ‘rail roko’, blocking the New Delhi-Bangalore K K Express.

Tension in Chittoor

Chittoor: Tension prevailed after the police forced MLA C K Babu to end his fast on its sixth day by arresting and shifting him to the government hospital. Since he ignored doctor’s advice, the police forcibly lifted Babu. Party activists offered strong resistance and raised slogans against the police. They broke the glass panes of several vehicles. The police dispersed them using lathis. Additional police force was deployed. Normal life and transport set-up, including RTC services, were paralysed. In Tirupati cable operators continued their relay fasts for the second day.

Business transactions hit

Guntur: Financial/business transactions and working of educational institutions were paralysed following the bandh. Protests by the Samaikyandhra agitators intensified. In Ponnur municipal staff voluntarily joined the agitation by taking out a rally after boycotting duty. They staged a dharna before the office.

APNGOs lay siege to Vijayamma’s house

Kadapa: Leaders of all parties ignoring party affiliations voluntarily observed bandh. In Pulivendula APNGOs laid siege to MLA Y S Vijayamma’s resident. In Jammalamadugu intensity of the struggle was evident even on its seventh day. Legislator Adinarayana Reddy joined the indefinite fast at local bus-stand. Leaders of several teachers’ organisations joined. Women staged a ‘vanta varpu’ protest. The agitators burnt AICC president Sonia Gandhi’s effigy.

Journalists play cricket

Kurnool: Government staff, teachers, politicians, leaders of people’s and student organisations staged variety protests as agitation got intensified on its seventh day. Journalists played cricket on the national highway near the Tungabhadra bridge. The YCRCP activists held a ‘vanta varpu’ protest nearby and paralysed traffic resulting a massive jam. Agitators played volleyball and caroms. Staff of Transport, Agriculture departments and government hospital staged dharna and ’rasta roko’ demonstration near the Collectorate. Government staff formed a human chain at Rajiv Vihar Centre. Students took out a bike rally.

Charge against govt.

Vijayawada: Members of the Students JAC played cricket as part of ‘ata-pata’ protest on the national highway, after taking out a rally from SRR College to BSNL office. They alleged that the government was playing with their lives, while welcoming the offer of resignations by the Seemandhra ministers, MPs and MLAs. The agitators laid siege to the house of minister K Parthasarathy

Rally with donkeys

Nellore: Members of Telugu Yuvata and Students’ JAC took out a rally with donkeys, depicting politicians as donkeys. They hurled eggs and tomatoes. Leaders of the Employees’ JAC laid siege to the house of Union minister Panabaka Lakshmi, along with playing of ‘mangalavayidyalu’. In Udaigiri journalists, auto consultants, leaders of people’s organisations, students and Employees’ JAC jointly held a ‘vanta varpu’ protest and at bus-stand.

Roads blocked

Ongole: Students, leaders of Employees’ JAC, workers and ‘kulasanghala’ JAC members blocked roads and highways to register their protest. Representatives of MSOs stopped telecast of entertainment programmes.

Transporters join bandh

Srikakulam: Traders, employees, students and representatives of voluntary organisations organised bandh. Transporters joined the agitation offering to play a prominent role. About 200 auto drivers blocked the Etcherla highway in Ranastala mandal with their vehicles. Three hundred auto drivers took out a rally at Kalingapatnam in Gara mandal. Sanitation workers took out a rally

Relay fasts, human chains

Visakhapatnam: People in large numbers took out rallies and formed human chains, while RTC employees launched relay fast at Middelapalem junction. The TDP and YSRCP activists formed separate human chains at Jagadamba junction and raised slogans in competition. City Congress Committee held a ‘vanta varpu’ protest at Gandhi statue. Members of Visakhapatnam SHG held a rally and formed a human chain. The Samaikyandhra JAC held a ‘vanta varpu’ protest at Bheemili junction and set fire to effigies of Sonia Gandhi and KCR.

‘Ata-pata’ protest

Vizianagaram: Agitators held a ‘ata-pata’ protest on the main road. Leaders of the Samaikyandhra JAC demanded the immediate resignation of APCC president Botcha Satyanarayana as also the Seemandhra people’s representatives.

‘Vanta varpu’ by archakas

Eluru: Leaders of people’s, student and civil society organisations took out a huge rally with the slogan ’Telangana Vaddu, Samaikyame Kavali’.

Archakas joined the agitation along with the department staff and held a ‘vanta varpu’ protest at Venkateswara Temple. Brahmins conducted ‘mahayagam’ at Vasantamahal centre and performed special poojas to retain the State’s unity.