Modi's Amaravati speech: Protests erupt across state

Disappointed at not hearing anything specific being mentioned regarding the grant of special status to AP in the Prime Minister’s speech on Thursday, protests erupted across the state from Friday morning. Cutting across party lines, several protesters were seen expressing their resentment.

In Visakhapatnam, YSRCP leader Tammineni Sitaram termed the Prime Minister’s speech as terribly disappointing and accused Modi, Venkaiah and Chandrababu of collusion against the grant of the special status category to AP. “What was the assurance that you have received after spending 400 crore” he questioned.

In Vijayawada 200 YSRCP members led by the state party workers union chief Gautam Reddy protested by covering their bodies with mud and releasing black coloured balloons as a sign of chandrababu’s failure to secure the special status category for Andhra Pradesh.

In Ananthapur, YSRCP MLAs Vishveshwar Reddy and Chand Basha demanded an explanation from the CM as to why there was no mention of special status in the PM’s speech. They accused him of not doing enough to insist on the provisions in the bifurcation law due to his compromised position owing to the cash for vote case.

In Hyderabad, the PCC chief Raghuveera Reddy once again blamed the trio Modi, Venkaiah and Chandrababu for denying the special status category to AP. He blamed the PM for deceiving the people of AP and dashing the hopes. “If there were really loopholes in the bifurcation law then why didn’t the union government respond to correct it for the past year and a half” he charged.

He also found fault with Chandrababu’s son Lokesh who was seen to be ordering around IAS officers and questioned in what capacity he was doing this.

Chilkaluripeta in Guntur district witnessed a minor escalation of tensions when the police arrested members of the CPI and CPM parties for burning the effigy of the Prime Minister after blocking the national highway to register their protests.