The Struggle Committee Against Polavaram Submersion has called for ‘Chalo Parliament’ on July 14, 15 and 16, with the sole demand of scrapping the ordinance on Polavaram and modifying the existing design to avoid submersion.
The Committee comprises Girijans’ associations, peoples’ organisations, intellectuals and political leaders, with Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA from Bhadrachalam, Sunnam Rajaiah, as State convener.
At a press conference here on Sunday, Mr. Rajaiah, Telangana leaders of Girijans’ association R. Sriram Naik and M. Dharma Naik, CPI (Marxist-Leninist) New Democracy leader V. Venkataramaiah, T-JAC member Lakshminarayana said a massive dharna would be staged in front of Indira Park here on July 11.
Pointing out that the Parliament session was slated for July 7, the MLA said that they have decided to stage protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and called upon Girijans’ association leaders, intellectuals and those who believed in democracy to express their support by turning up in large numbers.
He said that a stretch of 2,920 square km, 524 villages, 2.74 lakh Girijans and an extent of 3,06,339 hectares of land would go to Andhra Pradesh, according to the current design. He also recalled that according to the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and 1/70 Act, the Gram Sabha and Mandal Praja Parishad’s opinion had to be taken, apart from assent from the Governor of the State and President of India.
Mr. Rajaiah demanded that the Telangana government take an all-party delegation to New Delhi immediately, apart from constituting Girijan Advisory Council and passing a resolution against the ordinance. He reiterated his appeal, seeking the support and involvement of all the political parties in the movement.
