Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was hailing Andhra Pradesh’s achievements in various sectors of the economy, several hundred activists of the Left parties voiced their protest against the killing of landless in Mudigonda village last Saturday in police firing.
Police stopped the protestors about half a km from Jubilee Hall in Public Gardens here, as they tried to march to the venue of the high level review meeting and arrested them.
Barely 2 km away, Telugu Desam Party leader N Chandrababu Naidu undertook a day-long hunger strike to protest against the “indifference” of the prime minister. He maintained that the PM did not think the loss of life in Mudigonda serious enough to merit a personal visit and express condolences to the victims’ families.
He expressed disdain that the prime minister was ignoring Mudigonda.
“The prime minister should ask the chief minister for an explanation over loss of life in Mudigonda. Instead, Congress is celebrating the prime minister’s visit without showing any respect for the dead”, he said, referring to the decking up of the city by Congress party colours to mark the PM’s visit.
“The prime minister’s attitude shows that he has no time or concern for the poor landless and their problems,” he said. Mr Naidu’s fast began at 8.30 am and he was joined by top leaders of the party. Similar fasts were observed by party activists in various places across the state.
Special package
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who had announced a special package to bring the farm sector out of crisis and stem farmer suicides in the state, reviewed the progress made by Andhra Pradesh in key sectors, particularly agriculture. The Centre plans this exercise as an experiment, holding review meetings in the states concerned, beginning with Andhra Pradesh.
The prime minister was all praise for the all-round growth in AP and  several pro-poor initiatives launched by the government including irrigation and housing. Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and secretaries of Union ministries participated in the meeting.
The state’s demand for funds to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore for agriculture and allied sectors, for taking up several initiatives to enhance  productivity, was considered.
Its progress in infrastructure, energy, revenue, urban development, industries and transport sectors was also reviewed.