The Hindu : Front Page : Rajasekhara Reddy should quit: CPI(M) and TDP

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Monday, Jul 30, 2007
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Rajasekhara Reddy should quit: CPI(M) and TDP

K. Venkateshwarlu

— Photo: AP

Collective grief: Relatives and villagers beside the bodies of victims of the Mudigonda police firing, in Khamman, on Sunday.

HYDERABAD: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Telugu Desam Party on Sunday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy for using ‘brutal force’ for ‘suppression’ of the Left struggle for land distribution to the poor, leading to the police firing at Mudigonda village in Khammam district on Saturday.

The CPI(M), the CPI, the TDP and other parties organised a protest rally here to condemn the “indiscriminate police firing” and resolved to intensify their agitation.

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, who participated in the rally, endorsed the State unit’s demand. He said the Polit Bureau would meet on Monday to take stock of the situation. TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu wanted Dr. Reddy to own moral responsibility and quit, though the CPI distanced itself from the demand saying it would dilute the land struggle.

Mr. Yechury said there was no comparison between what happened at Mudigonda and Nandigram as the incidents in the West Bengal village took place during an armed struggle, in which even policemen were killed.

At Mudigonda, fire was opened on peaceful demonstrators.

Bandh for second day

Tension prevailed at Mudigonda and in surrounding areas with the Left parties calling a bandh for the second day. The bodies of the victims, draped in CPI(M) flags, were kept outside the Collectorate in Khammam. The authorities had a tough time shifting the bodies to the hospital mortuary as the agitators offered resistance.

Apart from CPI(M) and TDP leaders, the CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta consoled the families. CPI(M) workers attacked the office of the Sathupalli Congress MLA, J. Venkat Rao, and chased away a ruling party MLC M. Bhattivikramarka when he tried to console the victims’ families.

Meanwhile, a Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the Director-General of Police to file by Tuesday a ‘fact-based report’ on the police firing. It also asked the District Judge, to visit Mudigonda and send a report in a ‘sealed cover.’

The Bench was hearing an urgent House motion moved by TDP leader P.N.V. Prasad.

The Chief Minister announced an ex gratia of Rs. 5 lakh to the family members of each of the victims, besides land and government jobs.

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