Protests against passage of Polavaram Bill in LS

• Effigies of BJP govt burnt in Warangal, Khammam dists
  
• AP CM Chandrababu Naidu and Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu criticised

Khammam: Members of the Lawyers’ JAC have burnt the effigy of central government in front of the District and Sessions Court in Khammam town on Friday protesting the passage of Polavaram bill in Lok Sabha with an amendment of merging seven Polavaram submergence-prone mandals with the successor state of Andhra Pradesh.

The Lawyers’ JAC leader Tirumala Rao said that the passage of Polavaram bill in Lok Sabha was in violation of the Constitution. He said tribals for so many days were protesting against the Polavaram ordinance which was brought to merge seven mandals of Khammam district with Andhra Pradesh state. He alleged that the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu have conspired and managed to pass the bill in Lok Sabha. “Both leaders have rendered grave injustice to two lakh tribals,” he added. Tirumala Rao gave a call to people to make Saturday’s bandh successful.

Activists of CPI (ML-New Democracy) have burnt the effigy of central government at bypass road in Khammam town. They said that everyone should oppose Polavaram bill which caused injustice to tribals. They urged people for making Saturday’s bandh a grand success.

Warangal: The TRS leaders and workers took to streets here on Friday opposing the merger of seven mandals in Khammam district with Andhra Pradesh (AP). Protests were held across the district condemning passing of the bill. Effigies of BJP government were burnt as a mark of protest by TRS workers at several places. The Telangana JAC district chairman Prof T Papi Reddy, TRS MLAs D Vinay Bhaskar and K Surekha, CPI district secretary T Srinivasa Rao and others have termed the amendment made to AP Reorganisation Act undemocratic. A large group of TRS workers led by MLA Vinay Bhaskar have burnt an effigy of the central government at Kazipet cross roads. The TRS minority wing leaders also burnt an effigy of the NDA government at Hanamkonda cross roads protesting the move.

Speaking to press persons, Vinay Bhaskar alleged that the NDA government was acting at the behest of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu without considering the objections raised by the Telangana government. The lives of two lakh tribals in submergence area were put at stake because of the bill, he said.

The TJAC chairman Papi Reddy called upon the people in the district to voluntarily take part in the bandh on Saturday expressing dissent over BJP government’s move. The central government should convene a meeting of the stake holders and resolve the issue immediately, he said.

The true colours of the TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, who often claims that both Telangana and AP were equal to him, have now come to fore.

The TDP leaders in Telangana should answer the people for act of their leader, he said. Addressing a press conference, MLA Surekha came down heavily on the NDA government for passing the bill without a debate and amid chaos in the Parliament. She also found fault with the TDP and BJP MPs from Telangana for supporting the bill instead of opposing it.

The decision was unilateral and undemocratic and the MPs of TDP and BJP have failed to protect the interest of the state. The tribals living in the submergence areas have also opposed the transfer of their villages with Andhra Pradesh as they want to continue with Telangana state. But, the central government had neglected their sentiments, she alleged.