Rallies mark protests

Vijayawada: Protests continued for Samaikyandhra here on Saturday with people taking out rallies against division of the State.

The students and teachers took out protest rally blind-folded on MG Road raising slogans against division of the State. They asked the Congress leadership at the Centre to withdraw the decision to divide the State. They demanded that the Congress MPs and the Central ministers from Seemandhra region to quit their posts and pressurise the UPA government to roll back the decision on Telangana formation.

The members of private bus operators took out a massive procession on the city roads with their buses. The association representative, Kesineni Srinivas, said that they too have extended support to the on-going Samakyandhra agitation in Seemandhra. He said they have operated their services during the Telangana bandh in the past and Seemandhra bandh now. However, in support of the demand for Samaikyandhra, they withdrew the services for two days, he said and asserted that they would join the strike for more days if required.

The members of the Chartered Accountants of India also took out a procession along with the members of the Krishna Joint Action Committee from Governorpet to the Sub-Collectorate raising slogans against division of the State. The electricity employees, who are on 72-hour long strike, also took out a procession against division of the State. The employees threatened to go on indefinite strike if the Central government failed to withdraw the decision on division of the State. The electricity employees said that the Seemandhra region would suffer heavily in the power sector if the State is divided. They said they would fight to protect the State from being divided and appealed to the people to support their strike.