The Modi-government is more concerned about the political mileage it would get in announcing the new railway zone rather than meeting the long-pending demand of the people, opined leaders of various political parties.
They participated in a campaign, organised jointly by the Uttarandhra Rakshana Vedika (URV) and AP Journalist’s Forum (APJF), opposite the Gandhi statue near GVMC, on Tuesday.
They recalled how the BJP leaders had deceived the people by announcing that Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu would make an announcement on the zone during his visit to the city about a year ago. Leaders of the Congress, YSRC and the CPI criticised the Centre for the undue delay in the announcement of the new zone and Chandrababu Naidu government for its failure to exert pressure on the former on the issue.
Hundreds of peoples’ representatives, voluntary organisations, general public, and women signed a huge banner put up as part of the campaign. Talking on the future course of action, URV president S.S. Siva Shankar said a rally and a round table would be organised to press for the demand on the new zone with headquarters in Visakhapatnam. A dharna would also be organised in Delhi for the Visakhaptnam Railway Zone.
CPI leader JV Satyanarayana Murthy, YSRC leaders Gudiwada Amarnadh, Golla Babu Rao, Malla Vijay Prasad, Tynala Vijay Kumar, City Congress president Behara Bhaskara Rao, Congress leaders P. Usha Kiran, Pedada Ramani Kumari, former Vice Chancellor of Andhra University GSN Raju, AU Registrar V. Umamaheswara Rao and INTUC leader Mantri Rajasekhar were among those who participated in the campaign.
Mr. Amarnadh appealed to the participants to support the indefinite hunger strike to be launched by him from April 14.
