Hyderabad, Feb 8: The authorities have tightened security as the Left called for Andhra Pradesh bandh on February 8 to protest against the “injustice” meted out to the state in the Union Budget 2018. The government declared a holiday for schools as a precautionary measure in view of the Andhra Pradesh bandh. More police personnel have been deployed to avoid any untoward incident. Click here to see what would be closed and what would be open on state bandh today.
The Left parties have alleged “injustice done to Andhra Pradesh in the Union Budget and the betrayal of the people of the State by the NDA government at the Centre.” The parties have also alleged that the Centre “completely ignored Andhra Pradesh” as there was no mention of any allocations for the construction of the new capital, Amaravati, or any other major project such as a promised railway zone at Visakhapatnam, Polavaram irrigation project on the Godavari, and fund allocation to the central educational institutions.
At least 1300 APS RTC buses have been stopped in Visakhapatnam to observe the Andhra Pradesh bandh on February 8 even though the bus service has said that they will not participate in the state shutdown. The auto-rickshaw union has decided to support the bandh and would not operate today. Some of the auto-rickshaws, however, said that they would be off the roads for a few hours only.
The college student unions have also decided to support the strike called by the Left parties including the Congress and YSR Congress Party. Hospitals and dispensaries would operate, as per the reports.
The TDP continued its protest against Union Budget 2018 in Parliament. The party lawmakers raised slogans during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech, demanding justice for the state.