The Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged a protest on Sunday opposing the NDA government’s plan to allot the old RTC bus stand land in Vijayawada to the multinational conglomerate Lulu Group. The five-acre land, valued at around ₹400 crore, is reportedly being considered for the construction of a mall.
CPI(M) leaders Ch. Babu Rao and D. Kashinath led the protest, criticising the government for favouring multinational corporations at the expense of local traders and public assets. “This is not development, it is economic colonisation,” said Babu Rao, warning that the move would destroy the livelihoods of thousands of small and middle-class vendors.
The leaders cited similar allotments, including 13 acres in Visakhapatnam, as part of a disturbing trend of transferring public land to corporate entities. They accused the government of evicting the poor from canal banks while granting land and concessions to foreign companies. The CPM also alleged that the government is pushing for RTC privatisation, betraying its responsibility to protect public resources. Mr. Kashinath called the decision unethical and anti-people.
Several district CPI(M) leaders and retired RTC employees joined the protest. The party vowed to intensify the agitation unless the government withdrew the land allocation proposal. Calling on citizens to unite, the CPI(M) leaders urged the people of Vijayawada to defend public property, small businesses, and the interests of the middle class from corporate takeover.
Published – July 20, 2025 06:48 pm IST
