Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Tirumala residents launch hunger strike

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUPATI April 24. Residents of Tirumala and tenants who are at loggerheads with the TTD management protesting against the latter's move to evict them from Tirumala and resettle them at Tirupati today launched a relay mass hunger strike in front of the TTD's administrative building at Tirupati.

While the TTD is keen on resettling them at Tirupati under the guise of mplementing the Tirumala master plan, the locals are resisting the move and insist that they be resettled somewhere on the hills itself without being bundled out to Tirupati on the ground that they had been living at Tirumala for generations. The TTD's efforts to persuade them to settle them in Tirupati by offering them a lucrative rehabilitation package like a shop in the shopping complex, to and fro bus facility between Tirupati and Tirumala, housing accommodation at Tirupati, etc. the locals appear to be disinterested in the offer. They have rejected the relief package outright insisting that if it comes to worse they are ready to lay down their lives on the hills rather than leaving the place and settling at Tirupati as is sought to be done by the TTD.

Due to the political potential of this sensitive issue, all the Opposition parties were quick to throw their lot behind the Tirumala residents and express their solidarity for the `fight against the TTD's repressive measures.' The locals are critical against the TDP MLA, Chadalavada Krishnamurthy, for allegedly backing out on the issue after initial rhetoric in their favour.

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