Bandh call evokes mixed response in Andhra Pradesh

 The strike called by 11 major trade unions evoked a mixed response in Andhra Pradesh. While the public sector banks remain paralysed, the bus services were also affected. However the life was normal in Hyderabad and other major cities.

The State leaders of CPI(M) and CPI(M) BV Raghavulu and Dr K Narayana and the other prominent leaders of trade unions were arrested when they tried to take out the rallies in different parts of the State and enforce the strike.

Raghavulu and Narayana were arrested in the busy Kothi area of Hyderabad where they participated in a rally of the trade union workers. Tension prevailed in Secunderabad railway station area where the trade unions took out a major rally. As the police tried to prevent the rally and take the leaders in to custody, there were squabbling between the two sides.

Dr K Narayana said that the Government had made the life of common man miserable by increasing the taxes and failing to control the prices of the essential commodities. “The time has come for all the people to rise against the wrong policies of the Government,” he said.

Former CPI(M) member of Rajya Sabha P Madhu, who tried to block the path of the buses at the Mahatma Gandhi Bus station in Hyderabad, was taken into custody. The trade union workers also stopped the buses in the other major cities including Vijaywada, Visakhapatanam, Karimnagar and Tirupati.

While private banks operated normally, the public sector banks were closed in Hyderabad and other parts of the State. Work was also affected in many industrial units in Visakhapatanam, a major industrial hub in Andhra Pradesh. The main Opposition Telugu Desam and the YSR Congress had also declared their support to the bandh called to protest against the anti-worker and anti-farmer policies of the Central Government.

The farmers’ cells of almost all the political parties had also called the farmers to take part in the strike by bringing their bullock carts and the cattle on to the roads to block the traffic.

Dharnas and public meetings were also organised as part of the strike at several places. Work was also affected in the coal mines of Singareni companies with a section of miners staying away from the work.

In the State Assembly, the Telugu Desam and the left parties staged a walk out in protest against the anti-farmer policies of the State Government. They demanded lifting of ban on the export of rice to the other States to help the farmers. The BJP members also staged a walk out on the same issue.