Strike hits normal life

Vijayawada: Normal life continues to be hit with the government employees going on indefinite strike against division of the State. All the State government offices remained closed on Wednesday, the second day of the strike, while the RTC buses were restricted to the depots. The striking employees took out rallies, held road blockades and formed human chains to register their protest. Some of the groups that have been participating in the strike held ‘Vanta–Vaarpu’ on the roads, while other groups spent time playing on the roads as part of their protest.

The employees of the commercial taxes, the Road Transport Authority and civil supplies departments held protests at their offices after locking them as part of the strike. They raised slogans in favour of Samaikyandhra and demanded that the elected representatives including the Union Ministers from Seemandhra should resign to their posts and join the fight for Samaikyandhra.

The rallies on the M G Road and Karl Marx Road jeopardized the vehicular movement giving tough time to the traffic constables to regulate it. The RTC buses were off the road for the second day in the district, while a few auto drivers had a field day in serving the commuters. The Telugu Desam leaders took out a protest rally from Kummaripalem centre to the Kanaka Durga temple where they offered coconuts to the deity seeking blessings to keep the State united.

The YSR Congress leaders led by the former legislator, Jaleel Khan, took out a massive motor cycle rally in the old city. The Archers Association also held a protest at the BRTS Road where they cooked and served food to the Samaikyandhra activists.

The students JAC held protests at the SRR and CVR Government College and also at the Jammi Chettu Centre in Mogalrajapuram against division of the State. Student JAC convener Devineni Avinash raised slogans against the division of the State and demanded that the UPA take a decision to keep the State united.