Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supporters and cadres demonstrated against the Andhra Pradesh government over rising fuel prices on Saturday, August 28. As part of the protest, hundreds of supporters responded to a call given by TDP national president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to stage mass protests against rising prices of fuel and essential commodities. According to the TDP leaders, the fuel price hike is leading to a rise in the price of all essential commodities.
The demonstrators protested by pulling a four-wheeler with ropes and moving two-wheelers on rickshaws and bullock carts. The TDP supporters also raised slogans against the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led state government and alleged that it is not taking any measures to help the poor families suffering from 'unbearable' prices. The protests were held in all the 175 Assembly constituencies in the state.
In Srikakulam, police denied permission for a bike rally at Kotabommali, after which the TDP state president Kinjarapu Atchannaidu and MP Rammohan Naidu took out a padayatra (walkathon) till Kotabommali Ryot Bazaar. At Denduluru in West Godavari district, former MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar took a bullock cart ride to symbolically show that people are 'unable' to bear 'exorbitant' fuel prices.
In Vemur assembly segment, former minister Nakka Ananda Babu led a protest programme and a bicycle rally. They took a motorcycle in a bullock cart and left it in a canal. They asserted that citizens were not able to use their vehicles due to high prices of petrol and diesel, and threatened to intensify their agitation if the government did not take immediate steps to curb the rising prices.
Ahead of the planned protests, several TDP leaders were reportedly placed under house arrest. Vehicle checking was also organised in several areas, which the TDP claims was to stop opposition leaders from reaching the protest venues. The leaders demanded that like in other states, the Andhra government should take steps to rescue the poor families from the twin impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and price rise.