The agitation in support of united Andhra Pradesh continued in full steam on Tuesday with several leaders resorting to fast-unto-death and legislators meeting Governor N D Tiwari seeking his intervention in the matter.
In Vijayawada, Congress MP L Rajagopala, a strong proponent of united Andhra Pradesh, began an indefinite hunger strike, while the one lauched by TDP legislators in the cityentered the third day.
"I wanted to undertake the fast in Hyderabad yesterdaybut I was not allowed to do so, I am continuing my fast here," Rajagopal told reporters.
The Vijawada MP demanded that the Centre make a statement against the bifurcation of the state.
The fast-unto-death launched by TDP MLAs D Umamaheswara Rao, C Rama Kotaiah and others in Vijayawada entered the third day.
A large group of Congress and Praja Rajyam legislators, who submitted their resignations in protest against the division of the state, met the Governor N D Tiwari and
requested him to take up the matter with the Centre.
"We apprised him about the prevailing situation. We told him that only a united state can guarantee the well-being of people. He (Governor) told us that he would inform the Centre," Congress leader and Government Whip D Sailajanath told reporters.
Meanwhile, the pro-united Andhra Pradesh agitation took a violent turn at the Sri Krishnadevaraya University (SKU) at Anantapur with a clash taking place between students and police. The trouble began when police prevented students from taking out a 'peace rally' in the varsity campus as they had not taken permission.
Police baton-charged students to quell violence after some of them pelted stones at the cops.
"Permission was denied to the students to hold the rally as they burnt a heavy stock of cables two days ago. We never object to orderly demonstrations," Anantapur district Superintendent of Police M K Singh said. The protesters in the university brought dead body of a man, who had nothing to with the stir, and tried to instigate violence, Satyanarayana Rao, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Anantapur, claimed.
However, students alleged that some policemen in plain clothes came amid students and started pelting stones.
About 10 policemen and two students sustained injuries in the incident, the police official said.
Protesting the lathi charge on the students, TDP MLAs from Rayalaseema region held a sit-in outside the Chief
Minister's Office in the State Secretariat in Hyderabad. IGP A R Anuradha told reporters in Hyderabad that three student leaders have been arrested. PTI
