Andhra divide: Protests rock Seemandhra for third day

Hyderabad: Protests rocked Rayalaseema and Andhra regions for the third day against the decision to divide Andhra Pradesh by carving out a separate Telangana state. A near complete shutdown continued in Seemandhra with thousands coming on to the streets, demanding the centre reverse its decision. The protests intensified and took a violent turn at few places with protesters setting vehicles afire. [caption id=“attachment_1005601” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Samaikyandhra supporters vandalise the statue of former PM late Indira Gandhi. PTI[/caption] Buses of state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) remained off the roads while shops, business establishments and educational institutions did not open for the third day. Students, government and private employees, workers, lawyers, political activists irrespective of their affiliations, women and other sections of society participated in the protests. People laid siege to the residences of MPs and state legislators, demanding their resignations for ‘Samaikya Andhra’ or united Andhra. Statues of late prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were targetted yet again on Friday, with two statues of Rajiv Gandhi vandalized in West Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts. The agitators also took out rallies and staged road and rail blockades, burning effigies of Congress President Sonia Gandhi as well as other political leaders. similar scenes were seen in the nine districts of coastal Andhra and four of Rayalaseema. Anantapur town continued to remain tense for the third day in a row. Protesters set afire two private buses in the town. As a precautionary measure, police sent home students staying in private hostels. Rallies in the town also saw participation of government employees from APSRTC, BSNL, Life Insurance Corporation and the electricity department. Some vehicles at Dharmapuri in Vijaynagaram district were damanged, while police baton-charged those who went on a rampage. Buses going towards Tirumala temple were stopped, causing inconvenience to pilgrims. In Visakhapatnam state Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao’s house was surrounded by students and employees, who demanded his resignation. At Narsipatnam in Visakhapatnam district, protesters laid siege to the house of another state Minister P Balaraju. Meanwhile, a hunger strike by some students of Andhra University in Visakhapatnam entered its fourth day. In Vijayawada, as well, students formed a human chain, causing huge traffic jams along the highway. At Bapatla in Guntur district, protesters gathered outside the house of Central Minister Panabaka Lakshmi, demanding her resignation. In Tenali, it was assembly Speaker N Manohar who faced the brunt. In Guntur town, a youth attempted self-immolation but he was arrested by the police. Unidentified people set afire the Bharatiya Janata Party office. IANS