'Reveal 'Secret of Fortune', I Will Give Up Fast'

Refusing to budge from his stance, Kapu patriarch says he will give up his fast and withdraw demands if Chief Minister Naidu makes public how to make a fortune from nothing.

RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM:Adamant on his stance to continue his fast till BC Status is accorded to his community, Kapu leader and former minister Mudragada Padmanabham refused to undergo medical tests on Sunday too, the third day of his indefinite hunger strike. He did the same on Saturday.

Directing his anger at the government for not responding to his stir so far, Mudragada resorted to personal attacks on chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu asking him to reveal the secret behind his ‘rise from the owner of two acres to master of two lakh crore fortune’, so others too can benefit and there would not be any necessity for such agitations.

“I will give up my fast and withdraw my demands for BC status and `1,000 crore for Kapu development, if Naidu comes out with his secret about making a fortune from nothing. It will be helpful not only for my community, but also for other communities. There will be no need for reservations in the country and everyone can develop. Let him (Naidu) frankly reveal his secret, I will give up my fast,” he said.

Mudragada said, hereafter, there will not be any negotiations or discussions in the matter and he will continue with his fast come what may. “There is no need for medical tests. I am healthy and god has given me steel like body. Potti Sriramulu had fasted for several days. Till date, doctors have not been able to determine how people survive for long without food. Let them treat my case as an example,” he said when asked about why he was refusing to let the doctors examine him.

Kapu leader opined that the state government in the name of medical tests and health bulletins is trying to project that he is ill and stop his deeksha. “I will continue my deeksha even if they imprison me or put me on saline,” he averred.

Earlier, tension prevailed for some time at Mudragada’s house in Kirlampudi, when the police officials, including SP Ravi Prakash entered the house accompanying joint collector S Satyanarayana to persuade the Kapu leader to let the doctors check him and his wife.

Refusing to oblige, Mudragada told the joint collector that he is healthy and there was no necessity for performing medical tests on him or his wife. “Don’t create an impression that I am ill and obstruct my deeksha,” he told the doctors.

However, when he saw the presence of police officials in the main hall of his house, where he was staging the indefinite fast, he asked them to stay out and when they continued to get past his supporters to speak to him, he went into another room and closed the doors. Only after the police officials had left the house, did he come out of the room.

Meanwhile, supporters of Mudragada continued to visit his house to extend solidarity. Women in large numbers came to his house on the third day and they banged on the empty plates during lunch hour to mark their protest. Men expressed their protest with bare chests.

On the other hand, doctors are expressing concern over his adamance over not undergoing medical tests. “They are both in advanced age and their sugar levels are dropping. If they don’t let us examine them, we will not be able to determine their condition. Fasting continuously will have adverse effect on their health,” they said. In view of the prevailing tension, police security was further beefed up in the village and across the district.

Patriarch’s Fury

■  Kapu leader makes personal attack on Naidu

■  Says CM should reveal ‘secret of his two lakh crore fortune’

■  Claims god has given him a steel-like body

■  Cites instances of people like Potti Sriramulu, who have fasted for several days

■  Expresses resolve to continue deeksha even if imprisoned or put on saline

■  Supporters visit his house and extend solidarity

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