Over 100 activists of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi were arrested at different locations around the Assembly, when they tried to take out a Chalo Assembly here on Wednesday.
The MRPS had earlier issued the call for a Chalo Assembly to showcase their single point agenda of achieving categorisation of the Scheduled Castes. They are demanding the A.P. Assembly passing of a resolution in favour of categorisation of SCs. They want the resolution forwarded to Parliament.
Considering the security situation arising out of the conduct of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Legislatures simultaneously, the police did not take any chances and denied permission.
But even as the Chalo Assembly programme was on at the designated place outside the Indira Park, groups of activists managed to sneak close to the Assembly premises using public transport and other private vehicles.
In all, three batches of agitators were arrested. An all-women group numbering of 21 activists were picked up near the Ravindra Bharathi close to Gate One used by the Chief Minister.
The other two groups comprised men who wanted to get through the barricades at the MLAs' entry near the main entrance to the Public Gardens. They were promptly arrested even as they tried to attract attention by raising slogans and taken away in police vans.
Founder president of MRPS Manda Krishna Madiga was picked up from a hotel near Lakdi-ka-pul.