The Hindu : CPI gears up for mass protest

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 14, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

CPI gears up for mass protest

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD Dec. 13. The State Council meeting of the CPI on Wednesday and Thursday decided to organise picketing of Government offices at mandal and district headquarters for three days in March as part of the party's continued movement against the ``anti-people policies'' pursued by the State and Central Governments.

The meeting also decided to enrol 83,000 satyagrahis in February to carry out the programme, the CPI State secretary, S. Sudhakar Reddy, and assistant secretary, K. Narayana, told newsmen here on Friday.

They said the meeting noted with satisfaction the jathas conducted by the party last month, which culminated in a rally in Hyderabad, in the first phase of the agitation. Among the demands of the CPI in continuing the struggle are that the Government waive power dues and loans of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) up to Rs. 20,000 in drought-hit mandals, a package for Rs. 5,000 crores be announced for the development of Telangana, stop eviction of tribals from forest lands and a judicial probe be ordered into the "irregularities'' in the Food-for-work (FFW) programme.

The Council decided to follow the principle of `rectification-reactivisation' in the membership programme next year. According to this principle, the membership of active workers may be renewed but those who failed to carry out their responsibilities may remain as `friends and sympathisers' of the party. The party was aware that this might result in a cut in the membership.

Mr. Reddy said the CPI wanted to raise donations of Rs. 1.30 crores for party programmes from the village to State levels next year. He criticised ``the misuse'' of official machinery for the membership drive by the TDP in the Chandragiri Assembly constituency of Chittoor district where the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's brother, Ramamurthy Naidu, set up obstacles for the programme. He also demanded withdrawal of the security for the Gadwal MLA, Gattu Bheemudu, and his brother, Thimmappa, for their role in obstructing the tendering for a railway contract.

While wishing the State a success in the National Games, Mr. Reddy took exception to the Chief Minister luring outstanding players from other States to represent AP so as to win medals in a big way. In sports, winning medals is not as important as participation. Mr. Naidu should uphold the spirit of sports, he said and added that the players from other States were wooed with lakhs of rupees to play for AP.

Mr. Reddy announced the joining of Chennamaneni Venkateswara Rao, a brother of the former CPI MLA, Ch. Rajeswara Rao, into the party on the occasion.

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