VIJAYAWADA: Congress party leaders and activists staged road blockades on national highways across the state on Friday demanding special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
Led by APCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy, several party leaders and activists staged ‘raasta-roko’ at Skew Bridge on NH16. However, police arrived in large number and arrested the protesting leaders, who were shifted to Kankipadu police station before getting released.
Similarly, former union minister Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy, along with 50 party activists, was arrested in Kurnool, while protesting at NH44. Similar agitations were seen in Nellore, Visakhapatnam and other places. The Congress said it staged protests at 22 places in 13 districts. Party said it staged ‘rasta-roko’ at 22 places in 13 districts. Congress leaders were arrested in 10 districts.
“We are ready for any sacrifice to get SCS for Andhra Pradesh,” Raghuveera Reddy told media later in the evening. Describing arrests of activists as a Holi gift to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the police, the Congress leader said that it was a ‘do or die’ situation for the state, which is why every political party must act together for SCS in the Parliament.
He asked the TDP to support Congress in Parliament to pressurise Centre.