Police foiled indefinite fast by former Chairperson of Zilla Parishad Bellana Chandrasekhar at three-road junction at Cheepurupalli after his condition deteriorated further on Tuesday morning and shifted him to Tirumala Hospitals, a private nursing home here where he was administered IV fluids. DCC president and MLC Veerabhadra Swamy called on him and enquired about his health. Despite Samaikyandhra Medical JAC called for 24-hour bandh of all private medical hospitals/nursing homes, including emergency services, from 6 a.m. today, Tirumala Hospitals (except OP ward) functioned normally. Former State IMA president and TDP state medical wing vice-president V.S. Prasad submitted his resignation to the party post and joined the Samaikyandhra movement. He said that it was the collective responsibility of all political parties for the present turmoil and hence he had resigned the party post and joined the movement. He along with other medical practitioners have observed relay fast at Fort Junction.
As part of its prolonged stir for united State, Telugu Desam Party cadres led by Polit Bureau member P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju laid a siege to Central Customs Office for over one hour and raised Samaikyandhra solgans. The District Congress Committee blocked road and conducted competitions in lifting dumb-bells each weighing 40-120 kg at its relay fast camp at RTC Complex. Joint Action Committee of voluntary organisations launched tree plantation programme at the Collector’s Office and submitted memorandum to Collector Kantilal Dande opposing State bifurcation.
Trade bandh
Demanding that Andhra Pradesh State must be kept unified, the Arya Vysya Mahasabha on Tuesday staged a dharna on the Main Road, besides observing trade bandh. Members of the Mahasabha performed ‘Ksheerabhishekam’ to the statue of the late Potti Sriramulu, before launching the protest. They took out a rally on the Main Road and staged a protest in Boolchands Centre.
Addressing the members of the Mahasabha, former chairman of the APIIC S. Sivarama Subrahmanyam exuded confidence that the Congress high command would review the decision on the proposed division of the State. He said that he felt worried over the division issue and able to understand the sentiments of the public. He felt that a strong in favour of Samaikyandhra by the Telugu Desam Party would help the State to be united forever.
Relay fasts were continued at the Collectorate, Bhanu Gudi junction, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Kakinada (JNTUK), offices of the Kakinada Municipal Corporation, Medical and Health department, Rajiv Vidya Mission and at Sarpavaram junction demanding unified State. Protest rallies were taken out by various associations in the city during the day.
Clinics, hospitals closed
Patients from rural areas faced hardships as all the clinics and hospitals in and around Rajahmundry were closed ay in support of Samaikyandhra. Responding to the call given by Indian Medical Association, Seemandhra Region, the local chapter led by Dr. Adireddy Venkatrao, Dr. Y. Srinivasa Rao and Dr. Akula Satyanarayana took out rally from Kotagummam Centre and paid rich tributes Potti Sriramulu at his statue on the main road.
Doctors including A.K. Siva Prasad, B. Durga Prasad, P. Kesava Swamy, Kasturi Subrahmunyam, S Raja Ram, A Ravi Kiran, Sudhakar Raju, Kanaka Prasad and Jupidi Bharath took part in the rally.
Teachers of the municipal corporation have conducted ‘Vanta-Varpu’. Revenue services association president GD Kishore Babu, Rajahmundry rural Taheslidar G Bheema Rao and Korukonda Taheslidar Posiyya extended their solidarity to APNGOs. The Rajahmundry urban fair price shop dealers have took part in relay hunger strike under the aegis of Rajahmundry Chamber of Commerce at Kotagummam. Forest department employees and government teachers have took part in relay hunger strikes which are going on in front of Sub-Collector’s office.
APNGOs president Geddada Hari Babu has protested in a novel way by riding a rickshaw.
Relay hunger strike taken up by the Intermediate Education JAC in front of government junior college has reached 8th on Tuesday. Lecturers from Kothapeta and Ravula Palem have taken part in the relay hunger strike.
The relay hunger strike taken up by headmasters and teachers JAC of Rajahmundry has reached 13th day. Korukonda Taheslidar Posiyya, Headmasters association president R Swamy, and secretary P Adinarayana have extended their solidarity.
