The employees under the aegis of AP NGOs Association have staged a novel protest by releasing black balloons into air near NTR Circle in Vijayawada. The employees, on Saturday, said that the black balloons represent the sadness and grief over CWC decision to divide the State. The school children also took part in the protest and formed human chain. The students eagerly released the balloons and some of them burst the balloons. The employees tied a flag of their association and released the balloons in to the air. The entire stretch of Bandar road came to a grinding halt with students and employees participating in good numbers.
On the occasion, former Minister Vadde Shobanadreeswara Rao said that the AICC President Sonia Gandhi was trying to water down the agitation in Seemandhra with her statement that the government would constitute an official committee to hear the concerns of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. The people should step up their agitation and mount pressure on government until the decision was rolled back, he said.
The Central government has conveniently ignored the recommendations of Sri Krishna Committee. In fact, the Committee report was not placed before the Parliament. Neither the issue was discussed threadbare with leaders of all the three regions before taking a decision. Ms. Sonia Gandhi was hell bent to divide the State for her vested interests. The Raebareli and Amethi were no more safe constituencies for them to contest in coming elections. They wanted to win some seats from Telangana and retain the power, he alleged. Samaikyandhra leaders Akkineni Bhavani Prasad, Chalasani Srinivas, and AP NGOs Association leader K. Vidyasagar were present.
Ramesh Hospitals staff join hands
Doctors, paramedics and administrative staff of Ramesh Hospitals along with their families took out a rally in support of Samaikyandhra here on Saturday.
Chief cardiologist and Managing Director of the Ramesh Group of Hospitals P. Ramesh Babu lead the rally which began at the hospital on Ring Road and went along the ITI Road touching Amma Kalyanamandapam, Siddhartha College gate, D.V. Manor, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Benz Circle and came back to the hospital. Dr. Ramesh Babu has been at the fore front of the movement against the division of the State. He was one of the prominent citizens who expressed the opinion openly and put the same on Youtube also.
The rallyists carried placards with slogans that used the heart as metaphor. “The heart is supplied blood by three primary blood vessels, Andhra Pradesh is formed of three primary areas (implying Telangana, Coastandhra and Rayalaseema),” said a placard.
A strong Andhra Pradesh will become two weak states if it was divided, said another. Management consultant M.C. Das and other senior doctors of the super speciality hospital led the procession.