VOAs refused permission for agitation in Hyderabad

Police today refused permission to Village Organisation Assistants (VOA), working under Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP), to sit on an indefinite hunger strike here and hold an agitation to demand payment of their pending salaries.
Telangana VOA Udyogula Sangham (affiliated to CITU) president G Dhanalaxmi had sought police permission for the hunger strike at Indira Park and 'Chalo Hyderabad' agitation on March 26.
They have been demanding payment of their salaries due for past several months and to resolve their other problems.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) V B Kamalasan Reddy said, "It is reliably learnt that the (agitation) organisers are planning to mobilise hundreds of VOAs, including women, and march towards Telangana Assembly (which is in session) and to paralyse the administration."

This may pose a major law and order problem and throw traffic out of gear in the city, the DCP said.
"Therefore, the application seeking permission for the indefinite hunger strike and 'Chalo Hyderabad' agitation on March 26 is rejected," he said.
IKP is a rural poverty reduction project to enable the poor to improve their livelihood and quality of life. VOAs are deployed in the implementation of various government programmes, including the IKP, under the aegis of Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP).