Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhara Rao’s comment led to strong resentment from the government employees here on Saturday. The remarks fuelled the agitation and the bandh continued on the fourth day also. Educational institutions, including schools and colleges, remained closed with an exception of a couple of them. The government employees came onto the road to express their anger and anguish.The AP NGOs Association members staged novel protest near Sub Collector’s office by playing kabaddi and cricket on the road. Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) employees formed human chain near Mahatma Gandhi statue near the Corporation. Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam employees formed a human chain from toll gate to temple.
Later, they submitted a memorandum to goddess Kanaka Durga urging her to bestow KCR with sound mind. At Ibrahimpatnam, the Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station employees organised ‘vanta varpu’ on the road to protest bifurcation of the State.
Raising slogans that Hyderabad belonged to all and seeking justice for employees and their families, employees, including women, poured out their anger against the UPA government, employees feared that their future was bleak.
Deploring the KCR’s provocative remarks that Andhra employees had no option except to go back to Andhra, they said the statement was made to instigate Telangana employees against those from Seemandhra so that they quit Hyderabad by the time the Telangana Bill was passed.
The student community also reacted strongly and organised road blockades at various places. They took out a rally from D.V. Manor to Siddhartha College at Mogalrajpuram. The Telugu Desam Party division 23, 24, and 25 workers staged a protest in front of PNB Station. They raised slogans against the Central government and Sonia Gandhi and decision on Telangana. At another programme the TDP workers burnt effigy of UPA government in protest against the division of State and raised slogans in favour of Samaikyandhra, at NTR Circle. TDP district president Devineni Umamheswara Rao, TDP Vijayawada (East) in-charge Gadde Rammohan Rao and others were present.
Normal life hit
Ongoing protests against bifurcation of the State reached their peak here, with normal life badly affected on Saturday. Except for availability of medical and health services, all business establishments, including petrol outlets and hotels, closed their shops in support of the protest, which was led by members of the Samaikhyandhra JAC. On the other hand, there was no transaction of money as ATMs run by several banks remained shut for the entire day, leaving the people to their plight.
Machilipatnam MP K. Narayana Rao, who submitted his resignation on Friday, also expressed his solidarity with the protesters, demanding that the UPA government revoke its decision on Telangana.
