KAMAREDDY: Tension prevailed once again on Friday when BJP workers led by party State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and farmers tried to barge into the District Collector’s office, in protest against the draft master plan for the Kamareddy Municipality. Sanjay earlier gave a call to lay a siege to the collectorate. After meeting the family of Payyavula Ramulu who died by suicide at Adluru over fears of losing his land to the proposed industrial zone, Sanjay reached the Kamareddy collectorate along with his followers and farmers.
They removed the barricades set up by the police half-a-kilometre from the Collector’s Office in view of the Thursday’s protest by the farmers. In the ensuing melee, there was pushing and jostling between the police and the protestors. At one stage, BJP workers and farmers tried to scale the gate and jump into the Collector’s Office. As Sanjay refused to move away unless the collector came out and gave clarity on the master plan, the police took him into custody and shifted him to the police station. According to reports, he was being shifted to Hyderabad.
Earlier in the evening, Sanjay consoled the family of Payyavula Ramulu at Adluru and gave a cheque to the deceased’s wife as financial assistance.
He alleged that Chief Minister’s son K T Rama Rao had turned into a “minister of real estate” and the interests of the farmers were being neglected. The industrial zone proposed in the master plan was detrimental to the farmers. “If the farmers remain silent, the government will secretly approve the draft master plan.
The officials are protecting the interests of realtors and TRS leaders,” the BJP State president alleged. “A large number of farmers came to the Collector’s Office, but the collector did not come out to answer their questions. As they do not have faith in the political leaders, they want answers from the collector to clear their doubts. He should answer the questions. If he is not willing to do that, he should quit his job and join BRS,” Sanjay demanded.
Meanwhile, the bandh called by the Rythu Ikya Karyacharana Committee against the draft master plan was peaceful in the town.
Educational institutions and business establishments remained closed. However, the bandh did not affect the TSRTC bus services.
BJP, Congress and several people’s organisations extended their support to the bandh. Youth Congress activists burnt the effigy of Kamareddy MLA Gampa Goverdhan, demanding scrapping of the draft master plan.