VIJAYAWADA: Maha Padayatra from Amaravati to Arasavalli in Srikakulam district by farmers of Amaravati under the aegis of Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi (APS) commenced at Venkatapalem village in Thullur mandal of Guntur district on Monday. This also marks the completion of 1,000 days of protests by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi against the YSRC government’s proposal to set up three capitals. Farmers and women, led by APS leaders, offered special prayers at Venkateswara temple at Venkatapalem and commenced the yatra by dragging Maharatham of Lord Venkateswara.
Former MP Maganti Babu, former minister Kamineni Srinivas and CPI national secretary K Narayana pulled the chariot. Several leaders and activists from TDP, BJP, Congress, Jana Sena and Left parties extended their solidarity to the padayatra. This is the second time, Amaravati farmers led by APS have undertaken such a padayatra. The first one, Nyaya Sthanam to Devasthanam, was taken out last year from Amaravati to Tirupati.
On the first day of the yatra, participants walked 15 km from Venkatapalem to Mangalagiri passing through Krishnayapalem, Penumaka and Yerrabalem villages. After a night halt, they will resume yatra on Tuesday morning. The court had permitted them to take out the yatra from 8 am to 6 pm without any public meetings on the way. According to organisers, the yatra will approximately cover 900 km in 60 days. On November 11, it will culminate at Arasavalli. The walkathon is being taken out with the demand that Amaravati should be the only capital of Andhra Pradesh to safeguard the interests of farmers.