About 30,000 students of different private schools blocked all main roads in one part of the Rajahmundry city on Wednesday. On the other hand, Advocates’ JAC of Seemandhra lay seize to Rajahmundry MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar, MLAs Rowthu Suryaprakasha Rao, Chandana Ramesh and MLC Adireddy Apparao’s residences and demanded them to resign in Speaker’s format and join the movement. Rajahmundry Bar Association president V.L.N. Prasad and a large number of advocates took part in the programme. The Samaikyandhra agitation has been growing stronger by every passing day and its intensity did not reduce even after 34 days in the East Godavari district.
Students take to streets
Led by Rajahmundry Un-aided Colleges and Schools’ Association (RUCA) secretary S.P. Gangi Reddy, about 30,000 students took to streets on Wednesday morning opposing bifurcation and raised slogans at Ramalayam Centre near A.V. Appa Rao road.
Relay fasts continue
Meanwhile, relay fasts continued under the aegis of APNGOs in front of Sub-Collector office and the employees of Health Department participated in the relay hunger strike.
Horticulture JAC expressed solidarity with the employees who were on the hunger strike. Speaking on the occasion, Horticulture JAC State president Venkateswara Rao said the Seemandhra region would turn into a desert if the State was bifurcated and expressed anguish that the farmers of the region would suffer due to lack of water for irrigation.
Assistant directors of Horticulture Durgesh and Srinivas were present on the occasion and APNGO convener Geddada Hari Babu thanked the Horticulture JAC for its support.
BSNL Sanchar Bhavan seized
APNGOs representatives seized the office of BSNL Sanchara Bhavan near Gokavaram bus stand and fumed over employees’ disregard towards the Samaikyandhra movement as they attended to duty as usual. They inspected the office and sent all the employees home later.
‘No option but to die’
YSRC leaders staged a protest by placing ropes around their neck symbolically telling people that there was no option but to die if the State was bifurcated.
Speaking on the occasion, MLC Adireddy Appa Rao opined that post-bifurcation, farmers would be forced to commit suicide. YSRC leaders T.K. Visweswara Reddy, Adireddy Vasu and Kanithi Joga Rao were present.
Health Dept. staff abstain from duty
About 1,400 employees of the Public Health Department of Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation abstain from duties for the second day on Wednesday. The employees conducted ‘vanta varpu’ programme in front of the municipal office. Municipal Commissioner V. Rajendra Prasad and Health Officer M.S.N. Murthy expressed solidarity to the protest.
TDP leaders’ hunger strike
About 25 former Corporators and another 35 women wing leaders from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) took part in the relay hunger strike supporting the Samaikyandhra movement at Gokavaram bus stand. Dr. Anasuri Padmalatha, senior physician, led the relay hunger strike. TDP State organising secretary Ganni Krishna, TDP town president Vasireddi Rambabu, Koneru Vivek and Kasi Naveen Kumar extended their support.
Bike rallies taken out
In Konaseema, the Samaikyandhra movement was intensified in all mandals on Wednesday. The protesters took out bike rallies, staged rasta rokos and launched relay hunger strikes. Employment Guarantee Scheme workers organised a huge protest programme in Uppaguptham mandal.
A massive bike rally was taken out from Amalapuram to Allavaram. Agitators seized ONGC drilling site at Raja Nagaram in Katrinikona mandal and conducted ‘vanta varpu’ programme in front of the drilling site. Relay fasts continued in Amalapuram and holidays have been announced for schools for 10 days.