A sudden decision made and announced by AICC to go ahead with the bifurcation of the State sparked off protests in the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. Wide spread protest in all the districts of Andhra and Rayala seema errupted in the wake of the decision taken to carve out a 10 districts Telangana from the existing Andhra Pradesh with Hyderabad as the joint Capital.
Students JAC, NGO Associations came out to the streets to protest against the Congress party’s decision to divide the State. In some of the districts YSRCP also supported the agitation to keep the State united. At many places schools, colleges, business circles, cinema halls, bus depots and offices were closed voluntarily.
Student JAC, Andhra University as its main center of activity gave a 72 hours bandh call at Visakhapatnam. The protests started right from the early hours in the morning today. Police and additional forces also came to the roads to ensure law and order. Police say that they will not tolerate any violence but peaceful rallies are allowed as long as they will not take a violent turn. Along with Students, lawyers also took to roads in protest in Vijayawada.
Main protests are on the AICC President Sonia Gandhi for her motto of divide and rule that made her divide the State. Students JAC leaders say that she is acting the way British Government did to gain control over India.
Secondly they say that Hyderabad is developed to its present state shedding their blood and it is now is not ethical to ask them to vacate it. They ask where they should go to operate the State Administration. They remind that at the time of bifurcation from Madras the State became Capital-less and now again the same situation is created.
After Sonia the protesters mainly blamed the leaders representing them for not able to represent at the Center properly at the time of discussions on the bifurcation. Eluru district protesters are blaming Kavuri Sambasiva Rao more complaining that he cheated the people of Andhra by turning as a yes man to Sonia Gandhi after he was given the ministry.
Roads, bus stations, railway stations, offices and market centers are seen with a deserted look during the bandh in all the districts of Andhra and Rayalaseema.
More updates on the Andhra Bundh will be reported as they are received.
(AW-SriJa)
