Andhra: In attempt to foil proposed protest, CPI-M leader put under house arrest in Vijayawada

Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 28 (ANI): Police here placed under house arrest Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader CH Babu Rao on Monday morning in a bid to foil a proposed protest on Monday.
Babu Rao was scheduled to lead the protest called, "begging program" against the alleged delays in the salaries of around 400 sanitation workers in the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA).
The police team, however, had camped around Babu Rao's residence since yesterday night and this morning issued the notice of house arrest to him and other leaders.
"As many as 400 sanitation workers are working under CRDA in 29 villages in the range of Amaravati capital region. They are not being paid salaries since seven months. This is happening in the same area where the CM's residence is located. In this difficult coronavirus crisis phase surviving without salary for even a month is difficult," Babu Rao told reporters here.
"The CM is trying to shift the capital. But how can the salaries of sanitation workers be stopped? How will they survive? They have protested, agitated but the government did not heed. As they are left with no options, they planned a begging program lead by CITU at the CRDA office in Vijayawada. But the government is preventing them from doing so. You won't give salaries and won't let them beg. As I am supporting them, the police held me in house arrest, they surrounded my house since last midnight. What is the crime I have committed?" he further alleged.
The CPI-M leader further urged the government to pay salaries to the workers, while accusing it of shutting down those voices which are rising against it.
He also asked the government to take action against contractors and CRDA officials who did not pay salaries to the workers on time.
"The Chief Minister should take responsibility and see that those workers are paid salaries. Otherwise our agitation will continue," he further said. (ANI)