KAKINADA: Kapunadu leader Mudragada Padmanabham started his padayatra from his residence at Kirlampudi on Tuesday, Independence Day, by holding the National Flag. However, he was like earlier occasions stopped by the police and sent back. This angered Mr Padmanabham’s followers who said that their attempts to create hurdles in their fight for Kapu rights was not proper.
Later, Mr Padmanabham lashed out at Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and the police officials. He asked that when Section 30 and Section 144 were in force in the district, how could the police grant permission to Mr Chandrababu Naidu for holding a public meeting in Jaggampet. He also asked the police officials if there were separate Constitutions written for Kapus and others.
He said that though the country has got Independence, Kapus remained in bonds as the Chief Minister was playing role of British and trying to suppress the community. Mr Padmanabham said that Mr Naidu’s meeting with Kapus on Monday has not brought any fresh announcements. “Instead, he sang the same old song that he would provide reservations for Kapus. This was done in view of ongoing elections,” the Kapunadu leader said.
“It appeared that the Kapu meeting was more to felicitate the Chief Minister and not of any use to Kapus,” Mr Padmanabham said. He accused the police officials of acting like ruling party workers and told them that they should act within the purview of the Constitution and protect society. Mr Padmanabham said that political parties assume power one day and are deposed the next, but officials serve till they retire. “If the ruling party exerts pressure on officials, they should convince the leaders and tell them the severity of the situation and also the Constitutional provisions,” Mr Padmanabham said.
Meanwhile, many Kapus from West Godavari and Visakhapatnam district and some constituencies like Jaggampet, Pithapuram and Mummidivaram in East Godavari district reached Kirlampudi, following the ‘Chalo Kirlampudi’ call. Kapus in S. Annavaram village of Tuni took out a procession by wearing flowers in their ears, raising slogans demanding reservations to the community.
