The city came alive on Saturday with employees, students, and representatives of various associations intensifying their stir against bifurcation of the State.
The Benz Circle and Bandar Road saw hectic activity as rallies, human chains and dharnas marked the protest.
Agriculture Department officers and staff from 13 districts assembled at Benz Circle to register their protest. They took out a rally from Benz Circle to D V Manor to Auto Nagar. They sowed paddy seedlings to demonstrate that the state division would leave farmers in the lurch as the region would be deprived of irrigation waters. Agriculture Officers Association State president Kamalakara Sarma said that they would take up campaign at the village level to create awareness among farmers about the repercussions of bifurcation.
The agitation would continue until the Congress Working Committee (CWC) rolled back its decision, he said. Visakhapatnam unit president D. Vijay Prasad said that TRS president K. Chandrasekhara Rao’s roots were in North Andhra.
The Telanganites should understand that he was making them fools for his vested interests, he said, adding, “We are ready to sacrifice our lives to keep the State united.”
A car rally was taken out under the aegis of the Vijayawada Taxi Owners Welfare Association on Bandar Road. The association members said that the elected representatives had made the people scapegoats for the vested interests and posts.
The people would have to teach a befitting lesson to them, they said.
TDP vanta-vaarpu
Telugu Mahila, women wing of TDP, organised vanta-vaarpu on the road near the Sub-Collector’s office. They played kabaddi and other games. AP Transco Employees JAC staged a protest at Transco Nilayam at Gunadala here. The employees’ relay hunger strike reached the third day.
Rail Mazdoor Union expressed its support for united Andhra.
The RMIU also wanted the government to make Hyderabad second capital of the nation as half of the Railway Board would function from there, the RMU said.
The students JAC took out a rally from Benz Circle to IGMC stadium. The Vijayawada Chamber of Commerce and Industry took out a rally in One Town. Members of NSM Public School Walkers Association launched a relay hunger strike.
