People turned out in good numbers for Praja Ghosha, a protest demonstration demanding pucca houses, organised by the city unit of CPI on Wednesday. Roads were painted red with rallies being taken out from every division, and activities came to standstill at Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) for about two hours. Traffic moved at a snail pace at various places following the rallies.
CPI activists and those who came to participate in the protest blocked both gates of the main building, and staged the dharna. They raised slogans against the State government’s alleged failure to keep its promises. CPI central executive member and MLC Puvvada Nageswara Rao said that the people were anxiously waiting for the pucca houses promised by the State government. The Corporation conducted a survey and announced that 1.40 lakh people were eligible for housing. The VMC even issued slips to the identified beneficiaries. However, there was no progress during the last four years, he pointed out.
Hardly 10,000 houses had been completed till date, which mirrors the failure and inefficiency of the Government. As a successor to Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, it was the responsibility of Mr. Rosaiah to keep the promises Dr. Reddy made to the people, Mr. Nageswara Rao said.
MLC Jalli Wilson stated that the Corporation rendered many families homeless. The VMC shifted tens of families from various locations assuring them that houses would be provided under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Houses have not been provided though years passed, he added.
CPI city secretary K. Subba Raju, explaining about the necessity of the dharna, stated that the CPI organised agitation during the last fortnight in every division to awaken the Congress leaders who were in deep slumber. There was a good response from the people.
Former MLA Sk. Nasar Vali, CPI Krishna district secretary S. Nageswara Rao, city secretariat member P. Surya Rao, D. Sankar, G.Koteswara Rao, P. Durga Bhavani and others participated.
