The state government categorically admitted that the Racha Banda was boycotted or disrupted in 95 villages in Telangana by the Telangana activists and appealed to them to cooperate and help conduct the function as it was a people's programme evolved to benefit them.
According to reports reaching here, the programme of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in
Singaipally, mahaboobnagar district witnessed unruly scenes with the TRS men courting arrest after being severely beaten up by the police for disrupting the function.
Their counterparts lashed out at the lathi-charge by reportedly damaged six buses and two cars. Earlier in Kurnool district also, the Chief Minister's function was disrupted with ugly scenes overtaking the programme.
Tension mounted as the TRS men took the 'issue' to the streets.
However Minister for Civil Supplies and In-charge Minister for Ranga Reddy district D Sridhar Babu said the function was held in three days peacefully barring a couple of incidents here and there.
Briefing media persons at the Secretariat on Thursday, Mr Sridhar Babu pointed out that it was meant to provide succour to the poor and as such all must cooperate and ensure successful conduct of the 'mission' for delivery of 'goods' to the affected and poor people in the rural areas without linking it to the Telangana issue.
The Minister said that the programme on Thursday covered 654 villages in Telangana, 308 in Rayalaseema and 649 in Coastal Andhra where assets and other benefits were given to the
targeted beneficiaries.
So far 1202 villages/gram panchayats in coastal Andhra, 1296 in Telangana and 609 in Rayalaseema have been covered by the Racha Banda, the Minister said.
The Chief Minister is expected to start the programme in Ranga Reddy district on Friday at the K C Thanda. He would address a public meeting in Maheshwaram after launching the Aadhar smart card. Later, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy will move on to Nalgonda district to start new blocks of AP Social Welfare residential school buildings and then attend Racha Banda at Mallepally and Devarkonda
mandals.
MLAs, MPs, Ministers, public representatives and officers took part in the state programmes of Racha Banda in large numbers, said the Minister.