Date:20/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/20/stories/2008112053470400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

PR activists stage dharnas across State

Special Correspondent

Mark of protest against Pulivendula attack on party leaders

PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Up in arms: Praja Rajyam activists protesting against the Pulivendula incident in Hyderabad on Wednesday. -

HYDERABAD: Praja Rajyam party followers on Wednesday staged dharnas at several places across the State, protesting against the Pulivendula attack on their leaders, allegedly by Congressmen, on Tuesday night.

In the State capital, party cadres ‘walked on their knees’ for some time near Nampally area to depict ‘a stunted democracy’ . In Secunderabad, they washed Mahatma Gandhi’s statue with milk, symbolic of cleansing the insult to democracy.

At a protest meet near Indira Park, party spokesperson P. Mitra denounced the Pulivendula attack saying there was no place for such violence in a progressive democracy.

Earlier, a delegation of PR leaders led by general secretary Allu Arvind submitted a memorandum to the State Human Rights Commission Chairman Justice B. Subhashan Reddy.

Past incident

In a press release, former Union Minister P. Upendra, who recently announced plans to join the PR party, said people had not forgotten the episode when chappals were thrown at then Chief Minister K. Vijayabhaskara Reddy in the presence of the Prime Minister at the instance of Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Meanwhile, the Lok Satta Party condemned the alleged ‘vandalism’ by Congress workers. It appealed to all political parties, to try and win people’s hearts.