Traders observe bandh in city

Vijayawada: Trade and business transactions were stalled in the city on Friday with the bundh call given by Seemandhra Chamber of Commerce JAC. Shops, banks and educational institutions were closed on the 31st day of the agitation. The Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in association with Retail and Wholesale Merchants Association, Cloth Merchants Association, Besant Road Business Community organised a huge rally at Governorpet and collected signatures in support of Samaikyandhra.

The VCCI president, Vellampalli Ramachandra Rao, addressing gathering said that Congress high command had taken the hasty decision on bifurcation of the State without taking Seemandhra people into confidence. He said that Samaikyandhra agitation has become people’s movement. ‘Hyderabad is the heart of the State and people from various parts of the State developed it for the past six decades. Telangana leaders have no right to demand others to leave Hyderabad.

This is not at all fair and we have to show our unity and fight until the UPA government takes back its decision to divide the State,’ he said. Business community representative Manhar Satish said that people of Seemandhra region had played a key role in the development of Hyderabad and they deserve equal right on the capital city. He demanded the government to take back its decision on division of the State.

The Telugu Yuvatha, along with students of private colleges had formed a human chain at Benz Circle demanding the UPA government to take back its decision on bifurcation. Organization president Devineni Chandrasekhar said that Telugu Desam Party Vijayawada unit would fight until the UPA government takes back its decision. The TDP Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency in-charge Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) blamed late YS Rajasekhar Reddy for division of the State.

YS Rajasekhar Reedy sowed the seeds for Telangana when he was Opposition leader for his selfish political ganis, he said.

He said that people of Seemandhra had invested their sweat and blood to develop Hyderabad into a global city. He demanded the UPA government to take a stand on Samaikyandhra as it was the only solution to solve the present crisis in the State.

The Samaikyandhra student JAC had sent 5000 post cards to Sonia Gandhi requesting her to take back the decision on bifurcation of the State.The Bezawada Bar Association has extended its support to the relay hunger strike of APNGOs.

Meanwhile, the AP Commercial Taxes Employees JAC has staged a dharna at Gunadala Centre in favour of Samaikyandhra.