Agitating CPI(ML) workers lathicharged

By Our Correspondent

ONGOLE, JUNE 28. The police made a lathicharge on workers belonging to the CPI (ML) New Democracy wing, injuring its leader, Ms. Srujana, when they staged a demonstration on Wednesday before the Union Minister, Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya, protesting against the hike in power tariff and bomb attacks on places of worship. The partymen later alleged that Telugu Desam Party workers, under instructions from the TDP MP, Mr. Karanam Balaramakrishna Murthy, attacked their party workers.

Workers belonging to the Congress(I) and the Left parties gheraoed the Union Minister, Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya, to submit a memorandum on recent power tariff hike and attacks on the places of worship of religious minorities. After the Minister left the place, Telugu Desam Party workers clashed with the agitators, and the irate agitators staged a road blockade for two hours in protest against the beating up of the agitators by TDP youths near the district court.

The agitators called off the agitation after the Ongole Police Inspector came to the bypass road and promised arrest of the Ongole MP, Mr. Karanam Balaramakrishna Murthi, Mr. Y. V. Subba Rao, Mr. Chunduri Ravi, Mr. Nalluri Kishore and some others who had allegedly beaten up Mrs. Srujana.

Congressmen alleged that TDP men came to the spot in a convoy loaded with sticks, assumed the role of the police and beat up and pushed away the agitators.

Messrs B.Sreenivasa Reddi, MLA, and Mr. Chittipati Venkateswarlu, secretary, New Democracy, and Dr. Gandla Venkata Rao, secretary, APCLC, condemned the raising of private armies by the TDP leaders, as in Bihar, for achieving their ends and said it would spell disaster to the democratic polity.

They demanded deterrent action against TDP youths and policemen responsible for attack on Mrs. Srujana.

In Hyderabad, Mr. M. Sathyanarayana Rao, President, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, condemned the lathicharge, and said the State Government should desist from coercive and high-handed behaviour forthwith.

Mr. Rayala Subhas Chandra Bose, secretary, New Democracy wing, called upon public organisations to condemn the role of ``Telugu Desam workers in attacking peaceful demonstrators''.

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Section  : Southern States
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