Two Ministers gheraoed

By Our Staff Reporter

SRIKAKULAM, JUNE 24. The Minister for Youth Affairs and Small Industries, Mr. T Sitaram, was gheraoed by Congress and CPI(M) workers at Tekkali today protesting against the power tariff hike. Police resorted to a "mild" lathicharge to disperse the crowd.

According to information reaching here, Mr. Sitaram, accompanied by the Tekkali MLA, Dr. K. Revatipati, went on a surprise inspection. By the time he reached the Old Bus Stand area around 12 noon, a crowd of about 200 protesters gathered there. Led by Congress and CPI(M) activists, the crowd squatted on the road and stopped his vehicle. They wanted the Minister to explain the rationale behind the hike. Heated arguments ensued between the protesters and the Minister. However, the Minister did not get down from his vehicle.

The gherao, led by Youth Congress leaders, Mr. Ch. Ganapati and Mr. S. Satyam, Mr. N. Shanmukha Rao of CPI(M) and the former MLA, B. Narayana Swamy, continued for about half an hour.

Police, who arrived on the spot by then, lathicharged the crowd and cleared it. Police said none was injured but it was learnt that a few workers suffered the blows, one of them seriously. Mr. Sitaram later inspected two more rice mills at Tekkali and returned to Srikakulam.

Our Cuddapah Reporter adds:

CPI(M) activists ghaeraoed the Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Mrs. S. Saraswathi, this evening.

CPI(M) activists led by the district secretary, Mr. B. Narayana Reddy, and the party leader, Mr. N. Ravisankar Reddy, squatted at the entrance of her room in the R & B guest house and raised slogans decrying the steep hike in power tariff. The protesters demanded that the Minister give an assurance to apprise the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, and ensure rolling back of power tariff.

Mrs. Saraswathi said although the Telugu Desam Party leaders were concerned at the hike and gave their suggestions to the Chief Minister, the hike was inevitable. Meanwhile, police reached the spot and arrested about 10 protesters.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Farmers go on rampage, lathicharged
Next     : Left party leaders protest 'repression'