PHOTOS IN NICA IN KAKINADA
Two persons were injured when the Amaravati Maha Padayatra took a violent turn when the padayatra participants and YSR Congress Party supporters allegedly resorted to throwing water bottles against each other at Azadi Chowk in Rajamahendravaram on Tuesday.
The injured were identified as Konda Sai and K. Nookaraju. They have been admitted to a hospital in Government General Hospital here.
Thousands of YSRCP supporters led by Rajamahendravaram MP Margani Bharat and Rajya Sabha MP Pilli Subhashchandra Bose gathered at the Azadi Chowk in an alleged bid to disrupt the padayatra. YSRCP MLAs Jakkampudi Raja and Satti Suryanarayana Reddy were also present.
Supporters of Telugu Desam Party, Jana Sena Party and the Left parties joined the padayatra on Tuesday, and it was led by Rajamahendravaram Rural MLA Gorantla Butchayya Chowdari.
The padayatra reached Azadi Chowk amid huge police deployment. However, both the parties allegedly instigated each other and raised slogans on the State capital issue. Meanwhile, the two groups allegedly resorted to pelting of water bottles at each other. The police attempted to control the crowd, but the trouble went on for some time.
Both the groups were supported by women. The YSRCP supporters represented East Godavari, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema and Kakinada districts.
The police persuaded the padayatra participants to proceed further to avoid any untoward incident.
In a public meeting after the padayatra proceeded further, Mr. Bharat said the occupation of the padayatra participants remained in question and alleged that most of them were not farmers and would not associate with Amaravati.
“The padayatra aims at disturbing the peaceful life in coastal Andhra Pradesh. The participants are aiming at instigating the local people instead of focussing on their yatra”, said Mr. Bharat.
In response to the YSRCP protest, Mr. Butchayya Chowdari and Jana Sena Party PAC Member Pantham Nanaji alleged that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was stifling the voice of the political parties and farmers.
