No let-up in protests

• 80,000 streetlights to be switched off for three hours on Aug.27 in Vizag
• Mines & Geology dept. staff to boycott duty
• MLA Palle forcibly given saline in hospital

Hyderabad: Protests, demonstrations and relay fasts by the Samaikyandhra agitators entered the 26th day across the region on Sunday. Students, teachers and NGOs hit the roads, adopting varying forms of protest. Employees of the Mines and Geology Department, at a meeting in Guntur, resolved to boycott duty and join the struggle. Employees of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Contractors’ Association announced their decision to switch off streetlights for three hours on Tuesday in support of Samaikyandhra.

Bike rally

Visakhapatnam: The APSHCL Employees’ JAC extended support to the Andhra University Ikya Vidyardhi Front, where some of its members have launched relay hunger strike. Former mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao, MLA Dr Malla Vijay Prasad and City Congress President Behra Bhaskara Rao began fast as also Congess MLA from Bhimunipatnam Avanthi Srinivasa Rao. The Student JACs performed mock last rites’ of Seemandhra Union ministers, while demanding that they should first resign and support the agitation. Members of the Walkers’ Clubs took out a procession.

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Contractors’ Association (GVMCCA) served a notice on the civic chief M V Satyanarayana stating that they would strike work, including switching off of street lights for three hours on Tuesday, in support of Samaikyandhra.

Rallies organised

Srikakulam: Employees of the Housing Board, in collaboration with traders and people’s organisations, took out a huge rally. They tied placards carrying the names of the Seemandhra ministers to buffaloes and bulls. Members of the Satya Sai Seva Samiti took out a rally and washed Gandhi’s statue with milk, garlanded it, and paid homage to the Mahatma.

Scribes stage novel protest

Kakinada: The Journalists’ Joint Action Committee took out a rally. It condemned the statement of TRS MLA T Harish Rao against the Seemandhra people. Scribes resorted to mock begging. Employees of the Housing Board took out a massive rally, raising Samaikyandhra slogans. Housing Corporation Inspectors Association president and State JAC chief Subramanyam said that the employees would go on a strike from September 2.

Agitation continues

Nellore: Employees, students and traders continued their protests in the district. The Employees JAC held a dharna in front of AP Transco office. The AP Electricity Employees JAC held a ‘vanta varpu’ programme on the road. Protests by members of the District Bar Association at Kovuru, Kavali, Guduru and Athmakur entered 20th day. The Vikrama Simhapuri University Employees’ JAC continued their relay fast.

Sunday not an issue

Guntur: NGOs, including employees of the Panchayat Raj, Rural Water Supply Departments, besides members of the Gram Panchayat Sangham, continued their agitation on Sunday. There was relatively less turnout of students. The YSRCP activists organised various forms of protest in support of the fast launched by their leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in Chanchalguda jail. Teachers took out a huge rally in Tenali. In Sathenapalli members of the Student JAC formed a human chain.

YSRCP leader held, shifted to hospital

Kadapa: The police forced YSRCP Pulivendula coordinator Avinash Reddy to end his seven-day-old fast as his health deteriorated. He and other party leaders were shifted to RIMS. However, they continued with their hunger strike. Supporters of a united State formed human chain by kneeling down at the Seven Roads Junction. Except for the Collector and the Joint Collector, all district officials took part in the agitation. The hunger strike of TDP legislator Linga Reddy, the Teachers’ JAC and Revenue staff is continuing.

MLA forcibly given saline

Anantapur: The indefinite hunger strike of Telugu Desam Puttaparti MLA Palle Raghunath Reddy, who is in hospital, ended when he was forcibly administered saline, following deterioration in his health condition. The police forced his wife Uma Devi to end her three-day-old fast by shifting her to hospital as her sugar level caused anxiety and she did not doctors’ appeal to call off the hunger strike. Uma was initially taken to the Government hospital in Puttaparti and later to Satyasai Super Speciality Hospital.

Protests unabated

Vijayawada: The Samaikyandhra protests continued unabated in the city. The Student JAC organised a ‘Samaikya Nirasana Alpaharam’ at Benz Circle. Students of engineering colleges took part. Members of the APNGOs Association and the Government Employees’ Union JAC continued their protests, along with the Teachers JAC and the Municipal Employees’ JAC. The NGOs organised a road blockade at Gollapudi and Ramavarappadu on the national highway and presented folk items.

The APSRTC Vijayawada Zone employees played cricket at Pandit Nehru Bus Station as a mark of protest. They organised a road blockade on NH9.