Emotional scenes mark Sharmila Yatra

On the second day of her Maro Praja Prasthanm, Sharmila and other YSR Congress leaders witnessed emotional scenes when she had met with a tenth class boy who was herding his cattle en route her Padayatra on Friday.

The boy Siva, son of M. Siddaiah of Kattuluru, is a student of Pamuluru and had explained to Sharmila his family’s problems.  During the brief but emotional encounter, Siva said he wanted to go to school but couldn’t as he had taken upon himself the responsibility of herding the cattle following indisposition to his father.

“Father is down with BP and Sugar and couldn’t do this work as there is no medicare for him. Mother is deaf and there is no food either to me or my cattle. My parents are not getting any pension. Father once tried for bank loan but banks were unceremonious towards him,” he narrated his story with tears rolling down his eyes.

A moved Sharmila consoled him and assured him of help and support when YSRCP comes to power. “Do his tears lie? This teenage boy is a glaring example of how the Government has dumped the poor families to their fate and has failed on all counts,” she said, adding that Jagan assured of introducing the ‘Amma Odi’ scheme which facilitates monthly payments of Rs.500 to mothers who send their children to the schools.

Women meet Sharmila

Women of self help groups met Sharmila and complained that they were forced to pay higher interest on their loans by the Congress government. Some old women told her they were not getting pension for the last three years while they got regular pension during the YSR regime.

At some places, Sharmila sat down on the road along with some old women and interacted with them patiently trying to know their problems. Some old women complained of lack of medicare for them. “I am suffering from knee and joint pains and doctors suggested an operation but officials said my health problem doesn’t come under Arogya Sri Scheme,” an old lady told Sharmila. She assured them they would get a minimum monthly pension of Rs.600 if YSRC comes into power and Jagan becomes the CM.

Sharmila also visited the Vempally Minority Girls’ residential school and interacted with the students. After talking to them, Sharmila demanded the Government to increase the mess charges to at least Rs.40 a day.

(Updated on Oct 20,2012)