Various Samaikhyandhra JACs, which have been organising protests for the past two months, are gearing for a major showdown with a call for a 72-hour bandh from Friday followed by an indefinite strike, if necessary, in protest against the approval of the Cabinet to the proposal for bifurcation of the State.
“Government hospitals, district hospitals, ESI, PHCs, Government Medical Colleges and the attached teaching hospitals in all the 13 districts in Seemandhra will observe a 72-hour bandh from Friday. All services like OPs, operation theatres and elective services, except emergencies, will be suspended during the three days,” Dr. P. Shyam Sundar, convener of Samaikhyandhra Medical JAC and State secretary (Andhra region) of AP Government Doctor’s Association (APGDA) said on Thursday evening.
He said that the medical colleges and hospitals under RIMS would also be closed during the three days. An appeal was also made to private hospitals to observe the bandh and they expressed their willingness to participate in the bandh.
ADVERTISEMENT
Dr. Shyam Sundar said that Nursing and Class IV Employees’ Unions would also participate in the bandh.
Call for 48-hr bandh
Meanwhile, the TDP Visakhapatnam Urban president Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar called for a 48-hour bandh to protest against bifurcation of the State.
ADVERTISEMENT
A ‘vanta- varpu’ (community meals) programme was organised by RTC employees, under the aegis of the National Mazdoor Union (NMU), at the Maddilapalem Bus Complex on Thursday as part of the protest against bifurcation.
Speaking on the occasion, NMU State joint secretary Y. Srinivasa Rao flayed the people’s representatives from Seemandhra for not joining the agitation and trying to fool the people with false assurances.
He also took exception to the Centre’s apathy towards the people’s movement in Seemandhra, though the people had taken to the streets and were organising agitations for the past 64 days.
Rally today
He called for an immediate statement on keeping the State united failing which the Congress and the government would have to face the wrath of the people of Seemandhra. NMU leaders K. Nandagopal, PN Rao, MVR Murthy, A.K. Sivaji, PN Murthy and TVP Rao were among those who participated. Industrial workers will take out a rally in support of Samaikhyandhra on Friday.
The rally will begin at the Zinc gate and proceed to Old Gajuwaka, where it would culminate in a meeting.
Purandeswari's house stormed
Tension gripped Sector-I of MVP Colony as hundreds of members of APNGOs’ Association laid siege to the camp office of Union Minister of State for Commerce & Industry D. Purandeswari demanding her resignation.
On receiving information about their protest under the pretext of organising ‘Vanta Varpu’ programme, the police from early hours itself cordoned off the area. However, the agitated employees squatted on the road leading to the Minister’s camp office and kept on raising slogans in support of Samaikyandhra.
For sometime, there was jostling and near exchange of blows among the police and the employees. The protest continued for four hours braving heavy rain.