Bhadrachalam: Bhadrachalam bandh called by an All Party Committee on Monday protesting against division of temple town into three gram panchayats has evoked an overwhelming response from the citizens.
All schools, banks, shops, business establishments, hotels and markets remained closed. Autos and private vehicles remained off the roads.
Activists and leaders of Congress, BJP, CPI and CPI-M took out a procession to mark the bandh in protest against the division of the holy place.
Congress MLA from Bhadrachalam P. Veeraiah pointed out that the holy town that Lord Rama had traversed through has been carved into three without taking any opinion from its people.
“Division of Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and Andhra has already truncated the town after seven of its surrounding villages went to AP under the State Reorganisation Act. The latest decision of BRS government amounts to humiliating not only Lord Rama but also His devotees in Bhadrachalam, the Ayodhya of Dakshin Bharat. The government can, at least now, come forward to take the opinion of people on the matter,” Veeraiah observed.
The MLA maintained that as a matter of fact, Bhadrachalam, with a population of 75,000; should have been upgraded into a municipality.
BJP leader M. Ramamohan Rao said the state government has deceived all the people of Bhadrachalam.
CPI leader R. Ramprasad said the All Party Committee will continue its agitation till the government repeals the GO dividing Bhadrachalam into three gram panchayats.
CPI-M leader M. Venkateswara Rao said at least now, BRS government can take the opinion of public before acting accordingly.
