Andhra Pradesh bandh called by YSR Congress Party demanding that the Centre accord special status to the State turned violent in East Godavari district.
The YSRCP workers attacked the Prakashnagar police station in Rajahmundry of East Godavari district and damaged furniture. Sub-inspector Shivganesh and two constables — Veerababu and Gangadhar received injuries.
Later, the police arrested YSRCP MLA Aadireddy Apparao and his brother Adireddy Vasu and another person during the bandh and shifted them to Prakashnagar police station. On knowing about the arrest, the YSRCP activists gathered in front of PS and indulged in heated arguments with police personnel which led to tension.
Meanwhile, YSRCP supporters attacked police station and damaged its furniture. The protestors, who attacked the PS, were taken into custody.
Meanwhile, the bandh supporters and YSRCP workers laid a siege to the Anakapalli police station in Visakhapatnam district. There was a mild tension at Anakapalli PS when supporters of YSRCP and Left parties were taken into custody when they staged demonstration at Nehru chowk.
The YSRCP strongly condemned the TDP government for its repressive tactics in arresting leaders and cadre as it stands exposed in the eyes of people for its inefficiency. “People from all sections and organizations, Left parties and student organizations took part in the bandh and the AP government imposed ban order under Section 144 CrPC and used repressive methods to scuttle the bandh, party leader Ummareddy Venkateswarlu said.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Saturday, Ummareddy said people came out in large numbers defying prohibitory orders and impulsive government seems to have given orders to scuttle the bandh by any means and the party leaders from general secretaries, to MPs, MLAs, other elected representatives and cadre were arrested in large numbers in all the 13 districts of the State.
The bandh was a grand success in Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari, Prakasam, Nellore, Anantapur, Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts where shops and establishments and educational institutions were closed and people came in to join the bandh voluntarily in large numbers.
”Special Package is not an alternative to special status. This message was conveyed to the nation loud and clear with clarity and conviction and the arrests only show the cowardice of the State government which has lost its reason,” he said.
There were reports that the cabinet meeting had sent a message to the official machinery that the bandh should be foiled at any cost or the officials have to face consequences.
In Krishna district, former minister K Parthasarathi and former MLA Vangaveeti Radha were arrested while they were holding a dharna at RTC depot and students, who rushed to the Chief Minister’s camp office, were dragged out and pushed into a police van. In Nellore district, MP Mekapati Rajmohan Reddy was arrested and in Prakasam district, G Ravi was arrested at Addanki and cadre was arrested at Chirala bus depot.
In Visakhaptnam district, Party General Secretary Vijay Sai Reddy along with other leaders was arrested while they were holding dharna at Jagadamba centre. MLA G Eshwari was arrested at Paderu while hundreds of party workers were taken into custody at S Kota.
In Guntur district MLAs A Ramakrishna Reddy (Mangalagiri) and P Ramakrshna Reddy (Macherla) were arrested. In Chittoor district party MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy was arrested at Tirupati while former MLA B Karunakar Reddy was also arrested in the temple town.
Other leaders who were held or put on house arrest include Amjad Basha (Kadapa), former MLA Gurnath Reddy, K Venkatrami Reddy (Ananthauram), B Rajsekhar Reddy (Kurnool), MLA Kalavathi (Vizianagaram). (NSS)