The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Janashakti meet a low-key affair

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 10, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Janashakti meet a low-key affair

By Our Staff Reporter

KHAMMAM, NOV. 9. The CPI (ML Janashakti) was able to organise the `Martyrs day' rally at the town as the police relented on their stand and accorded conditional permission in the last hour today. It turned out to be a low-key affair as the venue of the public meeting was shifted from the Sardar Patel Stadium to a private ground close to the bypass road. The party rally, which started at 4.30 p.m, culminated in a public meeting, but the turnout was poor.

The Janashakti leaders alleged that the police prevented the partymen and supporters from attending the rally by sending back the vehicles that came from the neighbouring districts, including Nalgonda and Warangal. Those who could make it to the town well in advance were taken to task on one pretext or the other. Three activists of the party - K. Gopal, Ramesh and Venkatnarayana - from Warangal were thrashed.

Troupes warned

Party workers were prevented from putting up banners and posters and the cultural troupes campaigning for the rally were warned. The party leader, Chandranna, said they wanted to mobilize the partymen in a big way for the public meeting scheduled to be held at the Sardar Patel Stadium today to mark the death anniversary of Chandrapulla Reddy, architect of the armed struggle in Godavari valley. But the police and administration cancelled the allotment of the stadium ground for the party meeting a day before the rally.

They party, which was bent on holding the rally, even if it amounted to defying the police orders, tried to organize it at any cost. They tried to requisition some private auditoriums and asked for the Varthaka Sangham building also. However, this did not materialize due to lack of police permission.

The party activists who could reach the town in advance were uncertain of the venue.

Difficulty in permission

The party leaders wanted to organize the public meeting at a four-road point near the Gumasthala Sangham building. They gathered in a big way near the building by evening. As a last ditch effort, the party leadership met the Superintendent of Police, Bhavana Saxena and could obtain the permission only at 2 p.m.

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