TIRUPATI: Even as Tirupati urban police have imposed curbs in city to ensure fulfilment of conditions laid by Andhra Pradesh High Court, the “Nyayasthanam to Devasthanam Padayatra” being undertaken by farmers demanding that state government continue Amaravati as its state capital entered Chittoor district at Jaggaraju Palle village in Srikalahasti mandal on Tuesday.
Farmers and supporters of capital Amaravati on the padayatra were received with a shower of flower petals by activists of opposition parties, including Telugu Desam, CPI and CPI (M). Slogans “Save Amaravati as capital” rent the air.
The walkathon started from Thullur in Guntur district on November 1 and will culminate at Tirumala, the abode of Lord Venkateswara. At Jaggaraju Palle, Amaravati Parirakshana Samiti leaders A. Siva Reddy and G. Tirupati Rao led the procession. Lunch for those in the padayatra had been arranged at Empedu in a field. But the lunch venue had to be shifted when owners of the field started work there with earthmovers.
“It is unfortunate that YSRC legislator Biyyapu Madhusudhan Reddy is trying to obstruct Amaravati farmers. He, along with other YSRC leaders, blocked the original lunch venue, which is inhuman,” said TDP’s Srikalahasti constituency in-charge Bojjala Sudhir Reddy.
The TDP leader fainted while walking along Amaravati farmers. He was administered first-aid and shifted to a hospital in Renigunta for further treatment. His condition is reportedly stable.
Meanwhile, Tirupati urban district police requested Amaravati Parirakshana Samiti members to strictly abide by conditions stipulated by the AP High Court on the padayatra. Women police personnel displayed placards exhorting those on the walkathon to remain peaceful and not disrupt traffic.
