Police arrested former Union Minister Kotla Jayasuryaprakash Reddy, Kurnool DCC president P. Lakshmi Reddy, former MLA Madanagopal and other Congress leaders who blocked the national highway for about two hours for grant of the Special Category Status for the State, near Santoshnagar Idgah here on Friday.
They, along with former ZP chairman A. Venkatswamy, State Minority Cell chairman Ahmed Ali Khan and city Congress president S. Buchi Babu were taken to Kurnool IV Town police station and released later. The protesters raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government at the Centre and alleged injustice to the State.
‘₹5 lakh crore benefits’
Nellore Special Correspondent adds:
The leaders and cadres of the Congress, Left and Jana Sena Party staged a protest at Bujabujanellore on the city outskirts where vehicles came to a standstill for nearly an hour.
DCC president Panabaka Krishnaiah, CPI leader Rama Raju, CPI(M) leader Ajay Kumar and Jana Sena Party leader Toni Babu took part in the protest.
Mr. Krishnaiah said that the process would have begun for nearly ₹5 lakh crore worth projects, institutions and industries by now if the special status had been given to the State as announced at the time of bifurcation.
Polavaram funds
Rajamahendravaram Special Correspondent adds:
Traffic was stranded for more than half an hour on either side of National Highway-16 near Morampudi junction on the outskirts of Rajamahendravaram on Friday as Congress activists staged a rasta roko.
The agitators squatted on the highway and raised slogans like “Pratyeka hoda - Andhrula hakku” (special status is the right of Andhra people) and also against the Modi government.
East Godavari DCC president Pantam Nanaji demanded immediate release of funds to the Polavaram project also. City Congress president Sinivas, Aryapuram Bank director Mulla Madhav and others participated in the programme.
In Srikakulam, Youth Congress State general secretary Chowdary Satish led the protest for SCS. Several leaders of Left parties were arrested when they staged a dharna at 7 Road junction.
