Displaced families of Velugumatla stage dharna, Kavitha, Visharadan Maharaj join the protest

Agitated ‘displaced’ poor people of Vinoba Navodaya Colony, joined by a host of leaders of various mass organisations, staged a dharna at Ambedkar statue in Khammam on Monday demanding justice.

Taking up cudgels on behalf of the ‘displaced’ dwellers, Telangana Jagruthi president Kalvakuntla Kavitha and Dalit Shakthi Programme State president Visharadan Maharaj among others squatted on the main road expressing solidarity with the protesters.

Traffic movement on the main road was disrupted for some time owing to the dharna.

Commotion prevailed when the police tried to disperse the agitated protesters. Mild jostling broke out between the police personnel and a section of the protesters. A woman constable reportedly fainted in the melee.

Earlier, addressing the dharna Ms. Kavitha alleged that the recent demolition of houses of poor people at Velugumatla rendered scores of families of toiling masses homeless. Bulldozers razed the houses of poor during the examination season leaving parents and children of the hapless poor families in despair, she charged.

The Chief Minister and the district Ministers should speak about the miserable plight of the displaced poor people hit hard by the demolition drive, she said, adding that the condition of the displaced poor families was heartrending.

Taking a dig at the BRS, she said, “Those who tried to demolish your houses in the past are now trying to wash their sins.”

She demanded that houses be constructed for the displaced families at the same site where the demolition drive was carried out in Velugumatla.

Ms. Kavitha said, “Jagruthi along with a host of SC, ST, BC organisations, Dharma Samaj Party and other organisations will stand by the displaced poor people and fight on their behalf till justice is rendered to them.