Andhra govt masterminded the police firing -- CPM

Andhra govt masterminded the police firing -- CPM
Express News Service

HYDERABAD, AUGUST 29: The CPM today said the firing by Andhra Pradesh police on the agitators demanding a rollback of hike in the power tariff here yesterday was the ``most barbarous'' and ``heinous'' attack on people and alleged that it was ``masterminded'' by top state officials. The party said the agitation would be extended to the national level.

Addressing a media conference here, CPM Politburo member Sitaram Yechuri, Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) secretary W.R. Varadarajan and CPM state committee secretary B.V. Raghavulu alleged that the firing and lathicharge by police were ``pre-planned'' and ``deliberate''. A dharna condemning yesterday's firing would be held in front of Andhra Bhavan in Delhi tomorrow.

The representatives of nine Left parties which have been spearheading the stir besides the Congress are meeting tomorrow to finalise the future course of action. Raghavulu said that the Left parties might submit a memorandum to the President of India on the ``police brutality''.

Earlier, the party leaders called on those who were injured in yesterday's firing and lathicharge. According to the CPM leaders, one CITU worker Vishnu Vardhan Reddy and a Congress worker Balaswamy were killed while 57 others were injured.

Lashing out at the Chandrababu Naidu government for thrusting tariff hike on the people at the behest of the World Bank, the CPM Politburo member warned the Chief Minister that people would ``hit back at him in strongest forms and more vigorously''. The leaders demanded that release of all the arrested 22 senior leaders of Left parties and withdrawal of false cases against them. ``It is a shame that the cases under IPC 307 (attempt to murder) have been registered against the CPI state secretary and other veteran leaders,''said Raghavulu.

Meanwhile, normal life in the entire state was badly hit today as the Opposition sponsored bandh in protest against police firing in the city yesterday was near total. Barring stray attacks on RTC buses and detention of some trains, the bandh was peaceful.

The state-owned road transport corporation almost withdrew its services in the capital as well as districts while shops, business establishments, hotels, banks and educational institutions remained closed. The attendance in government offices was thin.

Hundreds of Congress and Communist workers were taken into custody throughout the state while they were trying to enforce the bandh.

Perhaps unnerved by the large-scale violence in the city yesterday, citizens in the twin cities preferred to stay home. Almost commercial establishments including small shops were closed while educational institutions declared holiday in advance to prevent inconvenience to students. The streets were deserted except for the movement of private vehicles and some autorickshaws.