Title - Rayalaseema continues to boil

Protests continued in the Rayalaseema districts of Kadapa, Chittoor and Anantapur and in the neighbouring Nellore district on Sunday, the day 12 of the agitation, taken up in support of Samaikyandhra.In the temple town of Tirupati, the day witnessed several protests by several organisations in various parts of the town.Following the rail roko call given by Samaikyandhra JAC on Sunday, the special party police and Railway Protection Force (RPF) in large number are deployed at the railway stations in Tirupati and Chittoor.Though hundreds of agitators came to the railway stations to obstruct trains, they beat a hasty retreat after the security personnel explained them about the cases and legal consequences involved, if they disrupt the movement of trains or squat on railway tracks.Tirupati YSRC MLA B Karunakar Reddy, who oragnised a dharna in the town, said that the temple town will not get its share of drinking water once the state is divided.“We are depending on Telugu Ganga for our drinking water needs. But, once the state gets bifurcated there will be no guarantee that we would get Telugu Ganga water as it has to pass several hurdles,’’ he said.Students of Sri Venkateswara University, leaders of Samaikyandhra Parirakshana Samithi, MSOs and other organisations continued their relay hunger protest camps and it became order of the day for several organisations to visit the camps for extending their solidarity.

The Tirupati JAC convener Prof V Srikanth Reddy said that all organisations under the umbrella of the Tirupati JAC protesting for the cause of Samaikyandhra will take up their activities from Monday after offering tributes to the Telugu Talli at Indira Maidan.

“We will begin our activity after singing our state anthem ‘Maa Telugu Talliki Mallepu Danda’ song,’’ he said.

The SVU students organised a human chain with dressed half-naked and the members of Tirupati body builders association showcased their body building talent on the road at Nalugu Kalla Mandapam as part of the protests. Meanwhile, the private schools association decided to reopen schools from Monday.