NSUI students withdraw fast, leaders take over

Visakhapatnam , Dec. 22: Students of Andhra University are no longer at the epicentre of the struggle for a united state. The remaining four students of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) cadre have called off their fast-unto-death, which they have been conducting for the last 11 days.

City police commissioner Mr N. Sambasiva Rao and district collector Mr J. Shyamala Rao, helped the students break fast at the KGH on Tuesday by offering them fruit juice.

Not a single student was available at the AU campus, what with holidays round the corner. The hostels wore an empty look while the campus appeared deserted with only the non-teaching staff members occupying the camp at the registrar office.

Of course a few politicians, including Telugu De-sam (TD) politburo member Mr Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, spoke to the agitators conducting the strike on the AU campus.

The former minister said, “The movement for a united Andhra Pradesh began here on the university campus. It was the students who spontaneously reacted to the Center’s declaration.”

He added, “Leaders of all political parties are coming forward to express their views on the issue and make their stand clear to the divisive forces at the Centre.”

Meanwhile, political leaders are vying with each other to get the agitation back on the right track.

However, with the NSUI students at KGH calling off the strike, the student body is virtually out of the agitation, which has reached a phase, wherein only interested professional political forces can go ahead with the movement.

The lawyers of Visakhapatnam Bar Association, however, continued with their relay hunger stir.