VIJAYAWADA: A delegation from the BJP state unit met additional director general of police (law and order) Ravi Shankar Ayyannar and sought clearance for the proposed ‘Ratha Yatra’ from Kapilatheertham to Ramatheertham from February 4 as a protest against the series of attacks on temples in the state.
While the BJP hoped that the police would give the permission for the yatra, the party said it will undertake the yatra even if the police decline permission.
Speaking to the media after meeting the ADGP on Wednesday, BJP state general secretary S Vishnu Vardhan Reddy said that the yatra would begin from Kapilatheertham after a public meeting in Tirupati on February 4. He said that the party was in talks with national leaders and central ministers, who are likely to attend the yatra.
“The programme will begin from Kapilatheertham and proceed to Ramateertham via Nellore, Srisailam, Guntur, Vijayawada, Antarvedi and Pithapuram. We will visit all the temples that were vandalised in those places. One central minister is likely to participate in the yatra in every district,” he said.
He hoped that the requisite permission would be accorded since the party was going to take out a peaceful yatra.
“Our yatra may be a problem for the government and the chief minister, but it won’t be for police as it is a peaceful programme. In case they deny us the permission for any reasons, we will announce our action plan. The yatra will be taken out. We will be visiting our temples and we need no government’s permission to do so,” Reddy said.