Protests were held by opposition parties against the hike in APSRTC bus fares across the state on Monday.
On Sunday, the state government had hiked the prices in APSRTC bus fares by 10 to 15 per cent citing increase in the price of diesel as the reason. The fare was increased by 5 paise per kilometer in ordinary buses, 10 paise per kilometer in express and 12 paise per kilometer in super luxury services, 10 paise per kilometer in express buses.
Describing it as anti-people, opposition parties CPI, CPM and BJP staged protests separately in the state capital. At RTC cross roads, CPM activists led by their state secretary BV Raghavulu took out a protest rally and staged demonstrations. CPI activists led by their state secretary K Narayana staged dharna at Bus Bhavan and BJP activists led by their leaders G Kishan Reddy, Bandaru Dattatreya and others staged protest demonstrations.
As the protests intensified, CPI leader Narayana, BJP leaders Kishan Reddy, Dattatreya and Rghavulu along with others were arrested. Police also arrested leaders of some students organisations, when they tried to lay siege to bus bhavan.
Speaking on the occasion, opposition leaders flayed the state Government and chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for the decision and said it will further burden the common man.
In Nalgonda district headquarters, CPM cadres led by Narasimha Reddy and Nomula Narasimhaiah burnt the government in effigy at RTC bus stand and submitted a memorandum in RM's office. Similar protests were taken out in Suryapet, Miryalguda, Bhongiri in the district.
In Sangareddy of Medak district, left parties staged rasta rokho and burn the effigies of the government. TRS cadre led by T Hareesh Rao staged protest demonstration at Siddipet. TDP cadres staged protest in Patancheru.
In Karimnagar, led by their MLA G Kamalakar staged dharna in at the bus station, while CPM activists staged dharna at other end of the bus station.
In North Andhra districts of Vishkapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, people led by left and other opposition parties took to the streets in protest against the hike in RTC bus fare. They demanded immediate roll back of the RTC bus fare hike along with roll back of hike in diesel prices and cap on domestic gas cylinders.
In Vishakapatnam, when CPM activists resorted to road blockade in busy Jagadamaba Junction and disrupted vehicular movement for nearly 45 minutes, they were arrested.In Rajahmundry, protests were witnessed at Kottapalle bus station by left parties and BJP.
In Vijayawada, protests were staged at Pandit Nehru Bus Station by CPM activist who demanded immediate roll back of the bus fare hike. Similar protests were staged in Guntur as well.
In Tirupati, taking strong objection to the hike in YSRCP cadre led by Tirupati MLA B Karunakar Reddy took out protest rally on a horse and rickshaws at municipal corporation office. CPI cadre staged rasta-rokho for some time at NTR circle.
In Proddatur of Kadapa district, CPM leaders took out protest rally on bullock carts from old bus station to new bus station. They flayed the anti-people policies of the state government. Protests were held at district headquarters Kadapa and Mydukur town.
In Kurnool district, YSRCP cadreds led by their leaders took out protest rallies and burnt government effigiges. CPI activists also staged rasta-rokho at the bus stand.
In Nellore district, protest demonstrations were staged at Gandhi Bomma centre on Trunk road by CPI cadres.