Statewide protest against `neglect' of ryots

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 8. Traffic blockades by Congress activists and demonstrations by workers of Left parties at all district Collectorates marked a day of protest against the ``failure'' of both the Central and State Governments to rescue farmers and weavers from distress conditions. In response to the call given by the APCC, party leaders and workers staged rasta roko at different places to protest against the Government's alleged failure to ensure MSP to farmers.

The PCC president, Mr.M. Satyanarayana Rao, Mr. Daljit Singh, AICC secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh, Mr.Dronamraju Satyanarayana, former MP, Mr.K. Ramakrishna, DCC president, and others participated in the traffic blockade at Visakhapatnam.

But a clever move by the city police to divert traffic from the route chosen by the party organisers added a comic touch to the protest programme.

A sizable crowd collected at a traffic junction but found to their dismay no vehicle passing by at the hour chosen for the rasta roko. Led by Mr. Rao, the crowd moved a distance of over a kilometre to execute their plan of blocking the traffic.

The PCC president and other leaders courted arrest while disrupting the traffic.

At all district headquarters, party MLAs, MPs and DCC presidents participated in the rasta roko. Congress leaders in Hyderabad claimed that the rasta roko was a success.

Mr.M.Kodanda Reddy, former CLP secretary, said party workers and leaders ranging from 500 to 5,000 participated blocking traffic at different points. In Guntur district, the rasta roko on National Highway No 5 was led by former Home Minister, Mr. Alapati Dharma Rao. Addressing a gathering, Mr.Dharma Rao deplored the ``indifference'' of the Government to the hardships faced by farmers, who were selling kidneys and other organs unable to bear the pangs of hunger.

The CPI, the CPI(M) and other Left parties, in a separate agitational programme, picketed district Collectorates. The CPI(M) State Secretary, Mr.B.V. Raghavulu, led the demonstration in front of the Collectorate at Eluru in West Godavari district. The functioning of the Collectorate was paralysed as scores of protesters squatted on the road in front of the main gate preventing officials and staff from entering. Similar scenes were witnessed at all Collectorates as the protestors waving red flags and banners raised slogans against the Government.

The CPI and the CPI(M) leaders came down heavily on the Government for letting down farmers and weavers.

The rasta roko is part of a phased agitation of the Congress which has organised visits by its senior leaders to market yards in the last few days to know first hand the hardships faced by farmers. in disposing of paddy.

The APCC president will participate in a rasta roko at Kakinada on Wednesday while the party's chief spokesman, Mr.K.Rosaiah, will lead the protest at Warangal the same day.

Both the PCC chief and the CLP leader, Dr.Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy, are scheduled to participate in traffic blockade at Hanuman Junction between Vijayawada and Eluru on May 11. And on May 10, Mr.Satayanarayana Rao will lead the rasta roko at Eluru.

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Section  : Southern States
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