Special Category Status agitation starts in Anantpur

The agitation over the demand for the Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh, spearheaded by the opposition YCP, was launched amid tension by the people of Anantpur town on Monday. Relay hunger strikes and demonstrations by the Left parties and students marked the agitation. The police tried to prevent the demonstrations, but the Left parties and students challenged them. As persuasion failed, the police used force, while the Left party workers and the students defied them. They scaled over the barricades put up for halting their march in the town. The result was a highly charged atmosphere in Anantpur. The leaders of YCP such as Anantrami Reddy, Gurunath Reddy and Visweswar Reddy participated in the agitation programme.