Samaikya protests continue

TD workers take out ‘Shava Yatra’; Medical employees organise massive rally

Visakhapatnam: Samaikyandhra agitation reached a new high with all the medical employees taking to the roads, demonstration of a 100-ft ‘Shava Yatra’ by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) workers, burning of effigies and organising of human chains by many Joint Action Committees (JACs) thus affecting normal life here on Saturday.

The medical employees, along with doctors, nurses and regular staff, boycotting work for the cause of united Andhra Pradesh brought work at the historic King George Hospital (KGH) to a standstill. The usually busy wards and corridors of the hospital wore a deserted look and the patients were put to a lot of hardship. With buses not plying, the patients were in for a surprise. They had to spend high costs for travel to reach the hospital.

More than 2,000 medical staff members organised a huge rally from the KGH main gate to the Jagadamba Junction holding placards and raising slogans against the Central government and the Congress leaders. Later, they organised a human chain disrupting vehicular traffic for more than an hour.

TDP workers, under the leadership of Vasupalli Ganesh, took out a unique ‘Shava Yatra’, which ran over 100 feet long as a semblance to carrying the Congress leaders’ bodies for their last rites. The yatra attracted a large number of onlookers.

Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao went to the Congress camp at the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Gandhi Statue to extend support to the Congress cadres who were on hunger strike. MLA Panchakarla Ramesh took part in the camp. Mr Srinivasa Rao was seen shooting an arrow at KCR’s image to protest against the bifurcation of the State. Court employees took out a motorcycle rally from the court premises to the Jagadamba Junction. Work in the court was stalled.

Muslims to continue stir

The Visakha Muslim Joint Action Committee (VMJAC) plans to continue the protests against bifurcation of the State with the objective of ‘Samaikyandhra Parirakshana’. This non-political JAC met on Saturday to discuss its future course of action. As announced by its chairman IH Farooqui, the VMJAC will start a relay hunger strike from September 12 at Mahatma Gandhi statue near GVMC.

The JAC had taken an appointment with the AK Antony Committee on September 10 in New Delhi to discuss the benefits of united Andhra Pradesh to the people of the State in general and Muslims in particular. The committee would explain the tribulations to be encountered if the State was divided.