Date:11/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/11/stories/2008071160330600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

CPI activists lay siege to GMC

Staff Reporter

GUNTUR: Communist Party of India activists laid a siege to the Guntur Municipal Corporation on Thursday protesting against the inaction by the civic authorities in addressing several long pending problems in the city.

The activists blocked the main gate for about three hours leading to disruption of work in the GMC and relented only after the police used a mild force to disperse the agitators.

CPI district secretary Muppalla Nageswara Rao, city secretary J. Ajay Kumar and others led the stir.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Rao said that the GMC, which was so keen on the collection of taxes has been ignoring the developmental works. Most of the colonies in the city have been without basic facilities like, street lights, drains, roads and other basic amenities.

Over 1,000 persons including women from various parts of the city joined the agitation.

Earlier, mild tension prevailed as the police and CPI functionaries were engaged in heated arguments when the latter tried to storm the municipal office. The police led by East circle inspector R Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy and Lalapet sub-inspector thwarted the attempt made by the CPI functionaries. Finally they arrested the main leaders and sent to the Lalapet police station. The agitators were later released on bail.