more-in Members of the Prathyeka Hoda Vibhajana Hameela Sadhana Samiti (PHVHSS) met on Monday and decided to intensify the ongoing agitation demanding Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh. As a part of it, they announced black day (Bijili Bandh) on April 24. Samiti president Chalasani Srinivas gave a call to people of the 13 districts to switch off power for half-an-hour from 7 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. in protest against what he called indifferent attitude of the Central government. “We need to send a strong message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The samiti is also planning to stage a rasta roko on National Highways and gherao the Central government offices,” he said. Mr. Srinivas said it was unfortunate that TDP stayed away from bandh on Monday which saw all parties joining hands to make it a huge success, “Even students, workers, farmers and other people’s outfits participated in the bandh voluntarily to show their dissent,” he pointed out. CPI State secretary P. Ramakrishna said that the BJP was spreading lies on Centre’s contribution to the State government and warned total washout in the next general elections. “People will reject the BJP as it has severely affected the future of the new State by not bestowing the SCS. The TDP is hand in glove with the BJP as it had kept quiet for four years by not bringing pressure on the Centre,” the senior Left leader said. ‘Observe fast in Delhi’ He went hammer and tongs at the State government for arresting agitators in several places who were protesting in a peaceful manner. “Instead of joining hands with us, the Chief Minister is advocating protest in Japanese way.” He advised Mr. Naidu not to take up his one-day fast on April 20 in Vijayawada and instead take up it at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to draw the attention of BJP bigwigs and other national leaders. CPI(M) leader Ch. Babu, and others were present.

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