The Bharat Bandh on Tuesday evoked good response here from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and there was no untoward incident.
Till about 10 a.m. various Left parties and trade unions staged dharnas and rasta roko at various key junctions in the city such as Maddilapalem, Jagadamaba, Police Barracks, NAD Kotha Road and Gajuwaka.
The bandh was called by Opposition and Left parties in support of the farmers and farmers associations, who have been demanding withdrawal of the three farm laws and power sector reforms.
Since in the last minute, the State government had decided to support the bandh, APSRTC buses did not ply in the early hours and auto-rickshaws were fewer on the roads.
However, overnight long distance and route buses were allowed and to avoid traffic jams and key junctions, police were seen diverting the traffic.
In view of the bandh, the State government had declared closure of schools. But shops and establishments were seen opening up after 11 a.m.
There were also no arrests in the city.
CPI (M) State Secretariat Member Ch. Narasinga Rao said that the Union government was trying to suppress the agitation by using force on the farmers.
He said that the three farm laws would spell doom for the small and marginal farmers while benefiting the corporate companies.
He said that the small farmers who are safeguarded by the original Essential Commodities Act, will now become vulnerable to corporate sector, as the Act will lose its relevance.
CPI State assistant secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy said that the new farm laws will remove the old concept of market yards or ‘mandis’ and this will impact small and medium farmers who have land holdings from 1 to 5 acres.
“If the market yard concept is removed, the small farmers will not get a lucrative price, as the price will be dictated by the corporates,” he said.
“We demand the scrapping of all the three farm laws,” said Mr. Satyanarayana Murthy.
Ch. Lokanathan of CPI (M) said that farmers will lose their independence and small farmers will become tenant farmers on their own land. Staging a rasta roko near Police Barracks, Members of Visakha Road Transport Owners Welfare Federation, demanded that the Union government address the issue of rise in fuel prices.
They pointed out that in the last two weeks, petrol and diesel prices have gone up by ₹20.
Members of the NSTL Civilian Employees Union staged a protest on the road near NSTL. The protest was led by union president Ch.V.S.N. Murthy.
Its vice president Ch. Chandrasekhara Rao, general secretary Hemant Bais and joint secretary V. Durga Rao were among those who participated.
Medical and sales representatives, owing allegiance to AP Medical and Sales Representatives' Union (APMSRU), staged a rasta roko at Jagadamba Junction in support of the farmers, on the call given by FMRAI.
APMSRU district secretary D. Sravanth, national leaders K.V.P. Chandramouli, K. Rajeswara Rao, K. Santosh Kumar and district leaders K.K. Choudhary and Chandrasekhar participated.
