CPM to launch ‘Praja Rakshana Yatra’ today

Vijayawada: Expressing serious concern over the increasing tax burden on the people and putting the municipal corporation properties for auction, the CPM here on Saturday announced that it would launch ‘Praja Rakshana Yatra’ from Sunday to protect the city.

Speaking to the media at Sri Sri Bhavan, CPM state executive member Ch Babu Rao said that everyone hoped the city would be developed after it was announced as the capital of the state. However, he said contrary to the expectations, the ruling TDP was more interested in burdening the people. In an attempt to protect the city from these predators, Babu Rao said the CPM would launch Praja Rakshana Yatra across the city with the slogan ‘Let us protect our city from overburdened taxes and land encroachments and irregular sale of corporation properties’ from July 22 till August 5.

Babu Rao said that there would be a massive demonstration before the municipal corporation office on August 8. He said the people of Vijayawada feel betrayed after giving the TDP massive mandate by electing 38 corporators hoping that they would develop the city. But the ruling TDP totally neglected the city development, he said. The government was more interested in giving subsidies and exemptions to big companies at Amaravati, he lamented. Moreover, the whole city is turning into an old city, he added.

Babu Rao said that not a single project useful for the people was undertaken in the city after TDP assumed power in the corporation. Bridges were not constructed at Madhurangar and Vambay colony and Kanakadurga flyover is yet to be completed, he added. The government announced amidst fanfare that Metrorail project would be taken up at a cost of Rs 7,500 crore but nothing had been done so far. Moreover, they keep on changing the models frequently, he added. After the announcement of capital city, the traffic had become congested due to movement of VIPs vehicles in the city and enhancement of various taxes burdened the people, he said and added that there was nothing beneficial to the citizens.

Both MLAs and the ruling party have been encouraging corruption in the city, he alleged. Babu Rao pointed out that the state government did not grant any additional funds to the city during the past four years after assuming power. Surprisingly, not even funds that were spent during the pushkaraalu were also not reimbursed, he added. Not a single house was constructed in the city and the Jakkampudi housing project for which the Chief Minister laid foundation stone, was yet to be completed, he averred. He said both the BJP and TDP cheated the people with their false promises. To highlight the injustice meted out to the citizens, the CPM is organising the Praja Rakshana Yatra, he said and appealed the people to participate in it in large numbers.