Kadapa, September 27: OPPOSITION parties stepped up the offensive against the government, gheraoing Union minister of state for steel A Sai Pratap here today in protest against the withdrawal of the cheating case against Kadapa mayor P Ravindranath Reddy in connection with the fertiliser scam.
Tension built up fast when the activists of Left parties and Telugu Desam kept raising slogans and tried to force their way to obstruct the minister and district collector Sashi Bhushan Kumar while they were on their way to inaugurate the YSR Auditorium built at a cost of Rs 3 crore. In the melee, Reserve Police sub-inspector Hari Kishan sustained a head injury when one of the demonstrators hit him with a flagstaff.
Several opposition activists went in a procession to the Auditorium. They alleged that efforts were being made to dilute the case.
After heated arguments between the minister and the demonstrators, Sai Pratap and Sasibushan Kumar went inside the auditorium and inaugurated it in the presence of mayor P Ravindranath Reddy and corporators. Ministers Galla Aruna Kumari, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and P Ramachandra Reddy cancelled their visit after sensing the mood of the Opposition parties.
A furious Sai Pratap reportedly pulled up police officials for the poor security arrangements despite knowing well in advance about the opposition parties’ protest programme.
–Agencies