Holed up at his residence due to restrictions by the Andhra Pradesh police, Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham has begun rallying support from his residence in Kirlampudi in East Godavari district.
Kapu leaders on Sunday took to beating plates with spoons, to symbolise the starvation of the community, as they were denied reservation under the BC category.
The leaders, along with members of the Kapu Joint Action Committee beat the plates for around half an hour during lunch time.
“This is the only way we can highlight the need for achieving BC status at this moment. The ‘padayatra’ to Amaravati, however, will be resumed from August 3,” Mudragada was quoted as saying.
Last week, Mudragada, who is also a former state Minister, was placed under 'house arrest' along with other leaders at his residence, as he stepped out for his 'Chalo Amaravati' padayatra.
Last week, the police made it clear that no permission would be granted, and the state would actively work to foil the walkathon.
“The only restriction is that Mudragada will not be allowed to take out his padayatra as he has no permission. I am clarifying the situation now. He was not kept under house arrest. The orders were not interpreted properly,” DGP N Sambasiva Rao clarified later.
At the height of the Kapu agitation in January 2016, activists set fire to the Ratnachal Express at Tuni in East Godavari district.
Following this, the TDP government constituted the Manjunatha Commission to look into the issue.
Angered by the delay in the Commission's report, Kapu leaders planned the 400-km padayatra that would cover the districts of East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur, before ending at Amaravati.