A protest was organised by the CPI(M) at Maddilapalem Junction on Thursday opposing the decision of Andhra University to allocate land for IT startup companies on the university campus.
Addressing the gathering, party Greater Visakha City committee secretary B. Ganga Rao demanded cancellation of the MoU, which was reached between AU and the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI). He said that previous governments had already allotted lands to software companies in the past thinking that they would provide jobs.
He alleged that the companies were now having their sights on AU lands. The original plan was to allocate the vacant land, opposite the VMRDA building, to the IT startups and agreements were also made in this regard. There was thousands of acres of government land in Visakhapatnam for setting up of startup companies apart from the land, which was already allocated to some IT companies remaining vacant, and they could be recovered.
AU lands should be utilised only for construction of new buildings for introduction of new courses and for research purposes. The CPI(M) also demanded that the State government make a statement on the issue.
Party leaders RKSV Kumar, V. Krishna Rao, Appa Rao, Kumari and P. Venkata Rao were among those who participated in the protest.
