TIRUPATI: More than 1,000 activists and college students led by YSR Congress Chandragiri legislator Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy conducted ‘Jala Deeksha’ at the Rayalacheruvu tank to demand that the Centre accord Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
Armed with banners and placards, the protesters came in procession to the huge tank, located 20 km south of Tirupati and raised slogans against the government for hurting the interests of the State by remaining meek.
Mr. Reddy and others got into the tank holding a banner and stood waist-deep in water for two hours. Terming it an apolitical platform, he invited students and youth to participate with a fighting spirit like their counterparts in Tamil Nadu for revival of their traditional sport Jallikattu.
“With 90% grants coming with special status, companies will eventually set up their base in the State and the Chief Minister need not go on foreign jaunts to market the State,” he said. The party will follow it up with a human chain in Chandragiri on Wednesday and candlelight rallies in Tirupati and Chittoor on Thursday.
Students of the AER College, Emerald's College and GATE college, located in the vicinity, took part in the agitation.
