Thousands of people gathered on Tuesday as the ‘Maha Padyatra’ started by farmers from Amaravati to Tirupati against the government’s move to set up three capitals, resumed after a day off on Tuesday.
People from different walks of life, including farmers and agricultural labourers, took a break from their busy rabi crop cultivation and extended a warm welcome to Amaravati farmers in the dusty lanes of villages up to Dudukuru, covering a distance of 15 km.
Women came out of their homes to express solidarity with the farmers.
The long march in Prakasam district on Saturday was more orderly than the proceedings of the first day, said Additional Superintendent of Police B. Thanks to the elaborate security arrangements made by a team of police personnel led by Ravichandra. The police ensured smooth movement of vehicles.
Police took precaution to avoid mixing 157 farmers who were marching to Amaravati with other farmers.
He ensured that all the conditions laid down by the Andhra Pradesh High Court were followed by Amaravati Parikshan Samiti leaders A.K. Siva Reddy and G Tirupati Rao during the march. At any given moment, the people followed the peasants for a distance of 2 km.
Expressing solidarity with the farmers of the capital region, who had given up their land, their Prakasam counterparts, including women, plucked coconuts and pumpkins to seek the blessings of Lord Venkateswara for the kingdom.
Many youths including students took part in the walkathon and the slogan ‘Save Amaravati’ went out. The budding dancers performed ‘Kolatam’ as flower petals were showered on the marching farmers. A large number of people from other places including Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Vijayawada and Hyderabad joined the farmers in the 45-day walkathon and donated.
Activists from opposition parties including Telugu Desam Party, Congress, Communist Party of India and CPI (Marxist) expressed solidarity with the farmers against the government’s decision to set up the executive capital in Visakhapatnam, the judicial capital at Kurnool and continue the legislative process. Capital at Amaravati.
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