The second round of Rachabanda, a mass contact programme, began amidst protest and din in the city on Wednesday.
The police bodily lifted the people who tried to raise their voice against the government's failure in keeping its promises made at Racchabanda-1. The police arrested leaders of Opposition parties at Kummaripalem centre and Ayodhya Nagar.
Decrying that the State Government was throttling democratic voices by using police force, the opposition parties vowed to teach a befitting lesson to the Government. At Kummaripalem Centre, Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal and Vijayawada (West) MLA Velamaplli Srinivas cautioned the agitating people that non-bailable cases would be foisted against those who tried to prevent government officials from discharging their duties at Racchabanda. Sub-Collector Venkat Rao, Municipal Commissioner G. Ravi Babu and Racchabanda nodal officers played spectator role though the Congress activists raised slogans—‘Down Down TDP', ‘Go Back TDP'-- from the dais. City Congress president Pyla Somi Naidu, ex corporator Y. Chalapathi Rao and other shared the dais at the programme. On the other hand, there was a poor response to the programme. Hardly 200 people were present at Kummaripalem centre though the government announced that 1014 white ration cards (coupons), 75 gas connections, and 176 widow, physically handicapped and old age pensions would be distributed for identified beneficiaries in 26 and 27 divisions. The beneficiaries did not turn up though the programme was behind schedule by one hour.
The situation was no better at Ayodhya Nagar in Vijayawada (Central) constituency. The people pointed out that the applications for Deepam gas connections, white ration cards etc.submitted in Racchabanda-1 had not been addressed to so far. TDP leaders, including Buddha Venkanna, and CPI(M) leaders, including Rama Raju and Subba Reddy, were arrested at Kummaripalem centre, while P. Gowtham Reddy and others of YSR Congress Party were arrested at Ayodhya Nagar.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) city secretary R. Raghu condemned the arrests. The government was adopting dictatorial attitude to suppress the public voice, he said. Instead, it should not have conducted the programme if it feared public resistance and opposition, he said, adding, the people would teach a lesson to it.
