On the occasion of 15th anniversary of Basheerbagh police firing, several political leaders from both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States today paid tributes to those who laid down their lives while protesting against power tariff hike during Telugu Desam Government in the united Andhra Pradesh in 2000.
The leaders paid floral tributes at the memorial at Basheerbagh. Telangana CLP leader K Jana Reddy, CPM leader B V Raghavulu, CPI leader Dr K. Narayana, TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy and others were present on the occasion. They also observed a two- minute silence in memory of those killed in the police firing. Speaking on the occasion, the political leaders condemned the “dictatorial attitude” of then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Congress leader Jana Reddy said his party, which returned to power in 2004 had implemented free power as mark of respect to those who died in police firing. Former PCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah said last year the peak demand for power touched 182 million units a day. “After formation of Telangana, the agriculture sector was totally neglected. In the last 15 months, the government neither ensured power generation and nor did it enter into PPAs. There was urgent need to release a white paper on power sector,” Ponnala said.
It may be mentioned here that three protesters had died in the firing in 2000 when they were marching towards the State Assembly demanding that the then TDP Government withdraw the power tariff hike. (NSS)