Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao has demanded that the Centre sanction the new railway zone in the State, with Visakhapatnam as headquarters, before presenting the vote-on-account in February, failing which BJP leaders will have to face the wrath of people.

A protest was organised by the non-political JAC, demanding declaration of the railway zone, opposite the DRM Office at Dondaparthy, on the Railway Station Main Road, on Friday morning. A bonfire was lit and the participants raised slogans against the Centre for failing to implement the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.

‘Political decision’

The Minister said that declaration of the railway zone was a ‘political decision’ and recalled how new zones were declared in the past without any dilly-dallying. Referring to the step-motherly attitude of the Centre towards Andhra Pradesh, he reminded that A.P. was part of India and continued injustice would not be tolerated. He warned that the BJP leaders would not be allowed to move in A.P., if there was no announcement on the railway zone in the vote-on-account budget.Mr. Srinivasa Rao recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised a new railway zone during his visit to the city. Pratyeka Hodha Sadhana Samithi leader G.A. Narayana Rao, former MLA S.A. Rehaman, AP NGO s Association leader K. Eswara Rao and Uttarandhra Rakshana Vedika leader S.S. Siva Sankar were among those participated in the protest.

The participants threw copies of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, in which 13 promises were made by the Centre for the State, including the railway zone, in the bonfire to express their resentment.