Visalandhra ‘Samaikyata Yatra’ begins

Srikakulam : Members of the Visalandhra Sadhana Samithi on Friday claimed that 80 to 85 per cent of the people in Telangana were in favour of united Andhra Pradesh. However, some vested interests in Telangana had spread false propaganda that four crore people in the region were in favour of bifurcation, they alleged.

Speaking at the launch of ‘Samaikyata Yatra’ during the Visalandhra Mahasabha organised at the Bapuji Kala Mandir under the aegis of Journalists’ Ikya Vedika here on Friday, Visalandhra Mahasabha representatives Chakravarti and Srinu called upon the people to come forward and join the agitation for a united Andhra Pradesh. The speakers said Andhra Pradesh was the first State to be formed on linguistic basis after Independence. There was no proper leader to steer the Samaikyandhra agitation and the people themselves were taking up protests. The ‘Samaikyata Yatra’ was launched in order to ensure coordination between all the districts where agitations were taken up against bifurcation, they added.

Alleging that the people’s representatives were keeping away from the agitation for their self-interests, the Samithi members urged the people to demand the representatives to quit their posts and join the stir for Samaikyandhra. They alleged that some political leaders were gradually stepping aside after creating animosity between the people of Telangana and Seemandhra. “People should realise this and take the agitation for united Andhra Pradesh in a peaceful manner,” they said.

The Samithi members further called for boycott of the Antony Committee.The ‘Samaikyata Yatra’, which began at Srikakulam on Friday, would cover Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Kadapa and other places in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. Awareness programmes would be conducted for the people on the benefits of united State. Journalists’ Ikya Vedika representatives spoke.

Srikakulam Press Club president Konkyana Venugopal, Andhra Pradesh Press Club State executive committee member N Dharma Rao and leaders of various journalists’ unions and representatives of voluntary organisations and educational institutions participated in the meeting.

Senior citizens join stir
It is the turn of retired employees and senior citizens now to express their ire against the creation of Telangana state. They took out a huge rally through the streets of Srikakulam town and formed human chain at Seven Roads Junction, raising the slogans of “We want united Andhra Pradesh” and “No Telangana.”

The protesters said all-round development was possible only when the State was united. Employees and students would be the biggest losers if the State was bifurcated, they added. The agitators said that the proposed creation of Telangana state was a political game being played by parties for their selfish interests.