Anantapur: Opposition parties criticised the state government and burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protest the lack of any special package for the state on Friday. Mr Modi was expected to announce a package for the state at Thursday's Amaravati fete but did not do so. The YSRC questioned Mr Modi for following one rule for Bihar, where the Prime Minister had announced a Rs 1.25 lakh crore package, and another for AP.
Mr Modi quoted the eminent poet Sri Sri but ignored what Gurajada, the legendary poet who was adored even by Sri Sri, had said, that a nation does not mean earth, it means human beings, said YSRC spokesperson Ambati Rambabu. Opposition parties lashed out at Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu for failing to raise the issue on the dais.
Several YSRC activists tonsured their heads during protests at Vizag. Police was deployed in large numbers at various important junctions. At Maddilapalem junction CPM activists burnt the effigy of Mr Modi and raised slogans against him. Police foiled an attempt of YSRC activists to burn an effigy at Jagadamba junction. Mr Tammineni Sitaram termed the PM?s speech as disappointing. In Vijayawada, YSRC activists covered their bodies with mud and releasing black balloons.
CPI state secretary K. Ramakrishna said that they would burn the effigies of the PM for the next two days. CPM CRDA region convener Ch Babu Rao said that the state and central governments were cheating the people and their interest was only realty business based on the capital city.
In Anantapur, Uravakonda MLA Y.Visweswar Reddy said the PM had insulted the people of AP and demanded an explanation from the CM as to why there was no mention of special status in the PM?s speech. They accused him of not doing enough to insist on the provisions in the bifurcation.
APCC chief, N.Raghuveera Reddy blamed the trio of Mr Modi, Mr Venkaiah Naidu and Mr Chandrababu Naidu for denying special status category to AP. Mr Reddy also found fault with Mr Naidu’s son Lokesh who was seen ordering around IAS officers. YSRC supporters took out a blindfold procession from the party office to Bezawada Gopal Reddy statue in Magunta layout in Nellore district.
Police arrested CPI and CPM activists for burning the effigy of the Prime Minister after blocking the national highway to register their protests at Chilakuripeta in Guntur district. In Kurnool, YSRC MLA S.V. Mohan Reddy demanded that the TD government answer the people of AP who have been waiting for long for the special tag and special packages.
