Taking a leaf from the youth agitating for Jallikattu at Marina Beach of Chennai, someone has initiated a Facebook page urging the youth to assemble at RK Beach in the city on January 26 (Republic Day) to take up the protest for the granting of the long pending demand of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
The campaign appears to have received a fillip after actor and Janasena Chief Pawan Kalyan in his twitter handle had stated ‘If youth of AP are planning to do a silent protest on 26th Jan RK Beach, Vizag # Janasena supports them’.
This has created quite a ripple in the social media, and over 4000 respondents from in and around Visakhapatnam have shown interest and about 2000 have confirmed their participation.
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It was learnt that a number of associations, public and especially college going students are gathering on the day, for which information is being spread through Whatsapp groups also.
One of the active members from Janasena from Coastal Andhra Pradesh on condition of anonymity said the call has come from the public itself and Janasena will support it and Mr. Pawan has given the nod. Fans will be joining from Kakinada and Rajahmundry to make it a success and we have told them not to bring any banners or flags. It is going to be a silent protest for our state and no political party is involved, he told The Hindu .
But according to Commissioner of Police T. Yoganand, no one has approached the police to obtain permission to conduct a protest or dharna so far.
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“It is the Republic Day and such protest without permission will not be tolerated. We are watching the developments and are prepared to handle it,” he told The Hindu .
According to him, no one is sure about who started the Facebook page and any form of incitement will not be accepted. “We are working on who has uploaded the page and are also talking to different HoDs to mitigate the situation,” he said. Moreover, it is not only in RK Beach in Visakhapatnam, a similar call is also given in Tirupati and Vijayawada. A post in the Whatsapp by the title ‘Jai Andhra Pradesh’ was also floated suggesting that the protest will take place simultaneously at all the three places.
Naidu’s appeal
Meanwhile, in Amravati, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has appealed to the people not to get excited and take up such protests, as Visakhapatnam will be witnessing the two-day CII Partnership Summit from January 27, and the city will host a number of top delegates both from the country and abroad. “Such a move will tarnish the image of the city and the state,” he said.
Mr. Yoganand, said a similar request for permission to hold a candle light march form VUDA Park to RK Beach has been submitted by YSRC leader Gudivada Amarnath.
“But we have not yet considered it,” he said.