Deputy Collector cadre officers who are on strike and the district-level officers participated in a one-day relay fast in front of the Collectorate in support of Samaikyandhra on Tuesday, along with the APNGOs’ Association members who are conducting the relay fast for the last five days.
DRO and associate vice-president of State Deputy Collectors’ Association M. Venkateswara Rao, Additional Joint Collector Y. Narasimha Rao, RDOs Ch. Rangayya and A. Subbaraju, Special Grade Deputy Collectors M.A. Sharieff, S. Venkateswara Rao and P.V.L. Narayana, District Supply Officers N. Jwala Prasad and K. Nirmalabai, PD of DRDA M. Maheswara Reddy, ED of SC Corporation Namboodri Prasad, DD of BC Corporation D. Nageswara Rao, DD of Social Welfare D. Srinivas, District Sainik Welfare Officer Satya Prasad, along with Executive Officer of Simhachalam Devasthanam K. Ramachandra Mohan and other district officers participated in the relay fast.
The lab technicians of KGH and employees of revenue and other departments took part in the relay fast. APNGO Association leaders K. Eswara Rao, S. Nageswara Reddy, K.V. Venkateswara Rao and others addressed the participants of the camp.
Meanwhile, vexed with three joint groups of teachers, employees and students organising relay hunger strike camps in support of Samaikyandhra on the premises of Andhra University which revealed the disunity among the university community on the issue, a good number of students of AU College of Science and Technology started agitation on their own.
Since Monday midnight the students blocked the main gate of the university near the Central Administrative Office and slept on the road. They continued the blockade throughout Tuesday and did not budge even after Vice-Chancellor G.S.N. Raju urged them to come under the shade of trees.
The students also turned away some teachers, employees and others of the three university JACs who wanted to express their solidarity, saying that presence of three JACs on the campus did not present a good picture to the public.
‘Dark’ protest
Streetlights were switched off in many parts of the city for sometime on Tuesday as part of the Samaikhyandhra stir by GVMC Contractors Association.
Siripuram, RTC Complex area, Dabagardens, Thatichetlapalem and Seethammadhara were some of the areas affected. The relay fast of contractors continued for the second day on Tuesday.
MLA shifted to hospital
Bheemunipatnam MLA M. Srinivasa Rao, who is on a fast for the second day on Tuesday, was shifted to a hospital as his sugar levels went down in the evening. The MLA, however, said that he would continue his fast at the hospital.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Srinivasa Rao received a call from AICC general secretary in charge of AP Digvijay Singh as his indefinite fast continued for the third day on Tuesday.
Mr. Singh enquired about his health and told him that he could understand his feelings on the bifurcation of the State.
Promising to apprise the Antony committee and Congress president Sonia Gandhi of Mr. Srinivasa Rao’s feelings, Mr. Singh appealed to the latter to give up his fast.
MLA Tynala Vijay Kumar also expressed solidarity with the fasting leader.
