Communist Party of India(M) State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao and CPI district secretary Jaffer were arrested following their protests against the price rise, here at the District Collector’s office on Monday.
The Anantapur police resorted to preventive arrests of the CPI and CPI(M) cadres and leaders as they did not have permission to stage a protest.
CPI district secretary Jaffer, who was disguised as a woman wearing a burkha, went on distributing pamphlets near the District Collector’s office without drawing the police’s attention. When Mr. Jaffer went close to the main gate of the Collectorate and threw pamphlets, women constables went ahead and took him into custody, but when they brought him to the police vehicle, they were surprised to find Mr. Jaffer.
Mr. Jaffer and Mr. Srinivasa Rao said that the Narendra Modi government was unable to control the prices of the essential goods. The Centre was not bothered about the downtrodden and was helping the corporate companies earn more, they alleged. They demanded that the State government reduce the VAT on petroleum products and give relief to the citizens on petrol, and diesel prices, which were ₹10 to ₹12 more per litre than the prices in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The Left parties condemned the illegal detention of their party leaders in Hindupur, Guntakal, and other important towns to thwart the protests and not allow them to reach the Anantapur Collector’s Office on Monday.
