Police lathi-charged CPI activists who obstructed the third phase of Rachabanda programme in Kadapa Municipal Stadium and arrested CPI district secretary G. Easwaraiah and 16 other party supporters on Tuesday. They were shifted to the District Police Training Centre and released later.
CPI leaders called for protest rallies and burning of effigies of the State government across the district resenting the lathi-charge and arrest. The party members staged a rasta roko before TTD kalyana mantapam in front of the municipal stadium.
The Congress party promised before the 2009 elections to construct houses, allot house sites, supply drinking water, sanction old age and widow pensions and ration cards, but failed to fulfil the promises so far, Mr. Easwaraiah alleged. He accused the Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, of diluting the spirit of the Rachabanda and said the third phase was being used to gauge to what extent the benefits of the first phase of Rachabanda reached the people.
Poor persons, who applied for house sites in the last two phases, were given coupons but were yet to be shown the allotted land, the CPI leader alleged. He charged the officials with not initiating action against land mafia which was encroaching upon the government lands and selling them. Seven thousand poor persons were given coupons in the second phase, but none of them got house sites or pensions, he said. He alleged tardy approach in resolving problems in 220 slum areas in Kadapa town. Incomplete underground drainage works were leaving low-lying areas waterlogged.
The government was further burdening the people by enhancing petrol, diesel and transport charges at will and failing to curb the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, Mr. Easwaraiah said. The Kiran Kumar Reddy government was utilising Bangaru Thalli scheme to propagate itself, he alleged. The CPI activists squatted in front of the dais and apprised the District Collector, K. Sasidhar, about the unresolved problems.
CPI city secretary G. Chandra and partymen N. Venkatasiva, Jayanna, Bogadi Setty, Ramadevi and AISF leaders G. Suresh, Sunil, Peddanna, Sudhakar, Anjaneyulu, Ramana and Nagesh participated.
