Mixed response to Opposition parties' bandh for Andhra special status
Vijayawada/ Nellore/ Tirupati/Anantapur: The bandh that was called demanding Special Category Status by Sadhana Samiti and supported by all Opposition parties evoked mixed response across the state on Monday. While the bandh was successful in places like Vijayawada and Guntur, other places saw a partial response.
In Vijayawada and Guntur, RTC buses were limited to depots and morning shows were cancelled by Cine Exhibitors. Lorry Owners Association has participated in the bandh and had stopped running the trucks. Shops and business outlets were closed voluntarily.
Educational Institutions and banks were closed. Early morning at 5 am, Chalasani Srinivas of Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti, P. Madhu, CPM state secretary, Ramakrishna, CPI state secretary, Malladi Vishnu of YSRC, Potina Mahesh of Jana Sena and others had staged dharna before APSRTC Vijayawada depot.
Mr Chalasani Srinivas has warned the Central government that they would intensify the struggle for Special Category Status. Mr Vishnu has asked the Chief Minister to get resignations of TD MPs so that the pressure increases on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Even though the Chief Minister has announced that they are against the bandh, he expressed solidarity with the demands of the same as no preventive arrests or obstructions were made by police in Vijayawada and Guntur.
In Guntur, TD has conducted protests with flowers in ears and also distributed it to the people at NTR Stadium.
Medical services were not disturbed in Vijayawada and Guntur, as they are exempted by the organisers.
In Nellore, the response of the bandh was partial and peaceful. Most of the shops and establishments downed the shutters voluntarily. While government offices operated as usual, the bandh organisers forced the banks to close their operations in most of the places.
All the private schools remained closed following a decision taken by the respective managements. Except for two hours in the morning, RTC services operated as usual but the passenger traffic was very thin.
In Tirupati the Bandh has shown its effect, the protestors have lit fire to their own bike demanding SCS at around 8 am near the RTC Bus Stand on Monday. Earlier YSRC general secretary Bhumana Karunakar Reddy has staged a protest along with other parties by blocking the in and out ways of the bus stand. About 1500 services were stopped and no bus had rolled out. The communist leaders have denied the bus services to Tirumala but later allowed the buses to pass as police interfered. Devotees, who waited at the bus stand to reach their destinations faced troubles till afternoon.
In Vizag, except few main areas, the rest of the city has witnessed no major impact of the all-party bandh. As most of the educational institutions were already closed for summer holidays, the bandh call has received mixed reactions in the city.
Almost all the government offices were functioning while the private organizations and commercial establishments were open for the whole day. Autos and cabs were moving as usual at normal fare. RTC buses started from the depots by 12 noon.
In Anantapur, CPI activists set a big effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as demon Ravan as he showed lack of interest towards AP's demand for special category status and other assured packages to the state. Bandh was successful in various parts of Rayalaseema region on Monday.
The APSRTC buses were confined to depots following protests by the activists at the RTC depots in Anantapur and Kadapa districts. The big effigy was set on fire at clock tower circle by CPI district secretary Mr.Jagadish and other leaders.
