Vehicular traffic at the ever-busy Benz Circle junction came to a grinding halt on Wednesday morning when lorry owners, along with their family members, formed an impressive human chain as part of the ongoing ‘Samaikyandhra’ agitation.
The demonstration was jointly organised by The Krishna District Lorry Owners Association and The Krishna District Lorry Owners’ Mutually Aided Cooperative Stores Limited.
The air was thick with anti-bifurcation slogans raised by the demonstrators. Slogans of ‘Jai Samaikyandhra’, ‘Vibhajana Vaddu—Samaikyandhra Muddu’, ‘Samaikyandhra Vardhillali’, ‘Vibhajana Desa Samaikhyata ku Muppu’ and ‘Jai Telugu Talli’ echoed in all directions.
Prior to forming a human chain, the lorry operators came in a rally from the office of The Krishna District Lorry Owners’ Association amidst drum beats. The protestors then returned to their office and sat on relay hunger strike. A large number of women and children comprising the family members of the truck operators participated in the hunger strike. A 101-year-old woman Anumakonda Nancharamma and a 78-year-old woman Yarlagadda Seeta Mahalakshmi who were part of the strike were cynosure of all eyes. Chairman of the Krishna district unit of APNGOs Joint Action Committee A. Vidya Sagar, formally launched the relay hunger strike. Addressing the participants, he spoke at length about the banes of bifurcation and the dire need to keep the State united.
Andhra Motor Merchants Association member and joint convenor of the Krishna district JAC Annapurna Devi also participated in the hunger strike.
A troupe of burra katha artists descended on the place to explain to the people the disadvantages of splitting Andhra Pradesh into two through song and dance. Later, employees of Road Transport Authority visited the strike camp and expressed solidarity with the cause taken up by the protesters.
100-hour fast
Two persons – Pentyala Anil Kumar and Gali Surya Narayana Reddy -- launched a 100-hour hunger strike near Victoria Museum in support of Samaikyandhra agitation in Vijayawada. The duo christened their hunger strike as Yuva Gandheyam. Former MLC Chigurupati Varaprasad, political JAC convener Kolanukonda Shivaji and others were present at the launch.
