TIRUPATI: A tense atmosphere prevailed in Kuppam constituency of Chittoor district on Monday after police foiled a scheduled padayatra by the Telugu Desam and put several Opposition and ruling party leaders under house arrest.
Following the call given by the TD, party leaders and district cadres planned to organise a protest rally to highlight the alleged non-completion of Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) canal works and accusing the YSRC government of neglecting it.
TD’s district party wing earlier sought police permission to take out the rally from Ramakuppam to Kuppam to demand quick completion of the HNSS works to bring water to the district.
To counter the Opposition’s move, YSRC local leaders also gave statements that they will organise rallies. With YSRC leaders too applying for permission, police denied permission to both parties, citing Covid-19 guidelines. Police also clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC, besides increasing surveillance to prevent the possibility of the cadres moving in groups.
Police personnel were deployed in large numbers at TD leaders’ residences in the western part of the district by the morning and the leaders were not allowed to go out. In Palamaner, former minister N. Amarnath Reddy was confined to his house, where party cadres gathered and denouncing excess police involvement.
Other TD leaders, including MLC Gounivari Srinivasulu, district party president Pulivarthi Nani, Anisha Reddy, Sreenatha Reddy, Manohar and Munirathnam were put under house arrest. Similarly, Ramakuppam mandal YSRC leader, Babu Reddy, and other ruling party leaders were also put under house arrest.
In a statement, Amarnath Reddy, alleged that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was misusing police force to prevent TD leaders from voicing their protest. He said they will continue their fight for the cause until the government completes the project.
