Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi could visit Yetkuru in Guntur, black flags were erected across the town, with large number of NGOs, students' organisations and political cadres of parties like TDP and CPI(M) swarming the streets donning black and raising slogans against Modi.
Protestors carrying black flags and placards with 'Go Back Modi' written on it came on the roads.
'GobackModi' protests rocks Guntur city hours before PM Narendra Modi's public meeting/rally , protestors alleges Modi cheated AP by denying what it deserves.@thenewsminute @dhanyarajendran pic.twitter.com/JlwV1bhiZV
— CharanTeja (@CharanT16) February 10, 2019
#TDP workers is conducting protests against #NarendraModi for cheating the people of #AndhraPradesh & also for not implementing the #AndhraPradesh Bifurcation Act. @JaiTDP party workers are asked to wear black & protest in #AP today. #modinoentry #ModiGoBack #ModiGoBackAndhra pic.twitter.com/JXH0Q76x7Y
— Anusha Puppala (@anusha_puppala) February 10, 2019
Most groups on the street said they feel betrayed as the BJP led government failed to live up to its promise and denied to accord Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
Besides Guntur, protests were carried out in Vijayawada and other cities. Protests were not just restricted to the streets, as #GoBackModi again started trending on Twitter. Along with #GoBackModi another hashtag #GoBackSadistModi also trended in India on Sunday morning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Yetkuru in Guntur district at 11 am, to address Praja Chaitanya Sabha as part of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly election campaign. This is his first visit to the state after the TDP severed ties with the BJP in March last year, for not according Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
PM Modi will also be addressing a rally from Tiruppur district, Tamil Nadu on Sunday as he inaugurates the last stretch of Chennai Metro Rail's Phase I between Washermenpet and AG-DMS.
It is to be noted that the GoBackModi hashtag on social media was first popularized in April last year when the Prime Minister visited Tamil Nadu. With protesters taking to the streets and waving black flags over a number of issues including the shooting of 13 civilians in Thoothukudi during the anti-Sterlite agitation, the hashtag trended at the top globally.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N Chandrababu Naidu, has likened Modi's visit as rubbing salt on the state's wounds.
One TDP activist said, "BJP is halting the development of the state and doing vendetta politics, we are with Naidu for the dreams of Telugu people which includes bifurcation promises."
On Monday, Andhra Pradesh will be protesting against the Centre in New Delhi demanding special status. The state has booked two trains for the protestors, costing the state exchequer Rs 1.12 crore. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will be leading the protests.