Andhra Pradesh Bandh For Special Status Total

The Andhra Pradesh bandh called for by the YSR Congress Party demanding that the Centre accord special status to the state was a success in all 13 districts where shops and establishments and educational institutions were closed and people came in to join the bandh voluntarily in large numbers.

However, it turned violent in a few places. In the East Godavari district, YSRCP workers attacked the Prakashnagar police station in Rajahmundry of the district and damaged furniture. Sub-Inspector Shivganesh and two constables — Veerababu and Gangadhar - received injuries.

This was precipitated by the police arresting YSRCP MLA Aadireddy Apparao and his brother Adireddy Vasu, and another person during the bandh, and shifting them to the Prakashnagar police station.

Upon knowing about the arrest, YSRCP activists gathered in front of the police station and indulged in heated arguments with the police personnel, which led to tension. The YSRCP supporters then attacked police station and damaged its furniture.

The protestors who attacked the PS were taken into custody.

The bandh supporters and YSRCP workers also laid siege to the Anakapalli police station in the Visakhapatnam district after supporters of the YSRCP and the Left parties were taken into custody after they staged demonstration at Nehru Chowk.

Plenty of leaders and activists were also arrested.

In the Krishna district, former minister K Parthasarathi and former MLA Vangaveeti Radha were arrested while they were holding a dharna at an RTC depot, and students who rushed to the Chief Minister's camp office were dragged out and pushed into a police van.

In the Nellore district, MP Mekapati Rajmohan Reddy was arrested. In the Prakasam district, G Ravi was arrested at Addanki, and YSRCP cadre were arrested at the Chirala bus depot.

In the Visakhapatnam district, Party General Secretary Vijay Sai Reddy along with other leaders was arrested while they were holding a dharna at the Jagadamba Centre. MLA G Eshwari was arrested at Paderu while hundreds of party workers were taken into custody at S Kota.

In the Guntur district MLAs A Ramakrishna Reddy (Mangalagiri) and P Ramakrshna Reddy (Macherla) were arrested. In the Chittoor district party MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy and former MLA B Karunakar Reddy were arrested at Tirupati.

Other leaders who were held or put under house arrest included Amjad Basha (Kadapa), former MLA Gurnath Reddy, K Venkatrami Reddy (Ananthapuram), B Rajasekhar Reddy (Kurnool) and MLA Kalavathi (Vizianagaram).

The YSRCP strongly condemned the TDP government for its repressive tactics in arresting its leaders and cadre.

"People from all sections and organizations took part in the bandh in large numbers despite the AP government imposing a ban under Section 144 and using repressive methods to scupper the bandh," party leader Ummareddy Venkateswarlu said.

Ummareddy alleged that the success of the bandh led the government to give orders to suppress it by any means, and consequently YSRCP leaders from general secretaries to MPs, MLAs and other elected representatives, and cadre were arrested in large numbers in all the 13 districts of the state. There were indeed 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 would have to face consequences.

"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 credibility," he said.