Andhra Pradesh: Police trying to obstruct Amaravati farmers’ padayatra, alleges JAC leader

‘The ruling party is trying to demoralise us’

The Maha Padayatra launched by farmers and residents of 29 villages in the Amaravati region entered Repalle on Sunday, the seventh day of the march.

Addressing the media, leaders of Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi Joint Action Committee (JAC), who are spearheading the rally, said that it was unfortunate that at some places, the local police were trying to obstruct the padayatra.

“Despite the High Court’s directions to the DGP that any number of local residents can meet the farmers and express their solidarity to the padayatra, the police are trying to obstruct them at some places,” alleged JAC leader Siva Reddy.

He said that farmers from the Amaravati region were waging a peaceful battle for a just cause. “It is our humble appeal to the Police Department not to create hurdles,” he said.

Pointing out that crowds supported by the ruling party had set up camps in 29 villages in support of three capitals to “demoralise” the participants, the JAC leader said that attempts to provoke the farmers would not yield any result as they were determined to achieve their goal in a peaceful way.

Claiming an overwhelming public response en route, Mr. Siva Reddy said that the padayatra would resume on Monday.