Amaravati farmers pause walkathon
Amaravati farmers temporarily stop their Mahapadyatra to protest against police action for creating hurdles to their long march, at Ramachandrapuram bypass road on Saturday
Ramachandrapuram: The Mahapadayatra of farmers of Amaravati has been paused for four days following severe restrictions imposed by the police. The padayatra will be resumed only after the High Court gives fresh directions on their petition alleging obstruction from the police after Diwali holidays.
As the farmers' padayatra reached Ramachandrapuram bypass road on the 41st day on Saturday, a large number of policemen surrounded a function hall where farmers were staying and stopped people who came to express solidarity with the participants in the padayatra.
There was an argument between the farmers and the police when the latter insisted that the participants show their identity cards. They said that only those vehicles which have prior permission will be allowed in the padayatra.
The police officers cited the orders of the High Court that not more than 600 people should participate in the padayatra. They told the organisers that as per the court order there is no permission for people who came to express solidarity to participate in the march. This led to an argument between the farmers and the police.
"The police were reluctant and adamant to allow the TDP leaders to interact with Amaravati farmers," said senior TDP leader Reddy Subramanyam talking to The Hans India
Quoting the example of the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi across the country, he said so far no state had put any restrictions. But here the YSRCP government was deliberately creating hurdles since it was opposed to padayatra. The police under instructions of the government were not allowing the farmers to continue their padayatra though the High Court had permitted them, he alleged.
He said the sympathisers go to the place where the farmers spend their night to provide food and to interact with them before they move forward. Even so, the police were not permitting. The farmers' JAC had sought the intervention of the High Court and fresh directions. The padayatra would resume after that, he added.
He said that the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi had sought direction from the High Court and soon after the orders were issued they would continue their padayatra.
It was nothing but political vengeance as the YSRCP is unable to fathom the huge response the farmers were getting, Subramanyam said.