Members of the Vikalangula Hakkula Porata Samiti (VHPS) laid siege to Prakasam Bhavan here on Monday to press their 33-point charter of demands, including doubling of the monthly pension to ₹6,000.
Hundreds of differently-abled persons riding tri-wheelers came in a large procession from the Ambedkar Statue Centre on Trunk Road to the Collectorate raising slogans in support of their demands. They sought reservation in legislative bodies, subsidised electricity supply to their residences and waiver of property tax. Vehicular traffic on the arterial road was disrupted for over 30 minutes following the protest amid beefed up security by the police when the Collectorate’s main gates were closed to prevent them from gatecrashing into Prakasam Bhavan. Police had to disperse the protesters who offered stiff resistance when they were bodily lifted from the protest venue.
VHPS State president A. Suresh, who led the protest, accused the State government of remaining indifferent to their demands and said that they would intensify their stir by laying siege to the houses of Ministers, MPs and MLAs in the next phase.
“The VHPS members who struggle to make a living in the wake of spiralling prices of essential commodities would have no option but to march to the State Legislative Assembly under the leadership of Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti founder president Manda Krishna Madiga as a last resort to achieve their just demands, including a decent pension,” MRPS leader Anand Madiga said while expressing solidarity with the protesters.
