Kapu joint action committee leaders from all 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh met in the presence of Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham and have decided to increase pressure on the Chandrababu Naidu government, who had promised to provide reservation in education and jobs for the Kapu community. The committee has announced a phased protest plan from December 18 to January 26.
This time though, they plan to be a tad civil and so the first phase will start with the Kapu activists wearing black ribbons and hitting steel plates with spoons during their lunch time. From December 30, in the second phase, Kapu leaders will start submitting representations to all elected representatives in the state right from the sarpanch to MPs.
On January 9, widespread candle light vigils will be held and in the final phase, Mudragada and other leaders will launch a ‘Kapu Satyagraha Padyatra' from Ravulapalem to Antarvedi. The distance will be less than 75 kms but these areas are the heart of Kapuland.
The elder of the group, Mudragada Padmanabham, has made it clear that he would not take permission for this rally. He said, "We are not going to apply for police permission as padayatras are being taken out by all political parties. Why should Kapus alone be asked to obtain prior permission?"
Padmanabham was scheduled to lead a 'Satyagraha Padayatra' in East Godavari district. But, as a safety measure, the elder leader was put under house arrest and the protest was foiled even as thousands of police personnel were rushed from Kadapa, Chittoor, Kurnool and Krishna districts to the Konaseema region on November 15.
The first agitation by Kapus, seeking Backward Classes category, had turned violent at Tuni on January 31 -- protesters went on the rampage and set fire to a passenger train, a police station, besides police and private vehicles.
The state then constituted a BC commission to look into the demands of reservation by the Kapu community. The commission has not still submitted its report much to the anguish of Padmanabham. The pressure on the government has now become two fold, ever since the Power Star and president of Jana Sena party Pawan Kalyan, announced that he would conduct ‘praja darbars’ across the state to initiate discussion on the reservation policy.
PK is also a Kapu. Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister said, "The TDP Government is committed to the socio-economic empowerment of all BCs. I will ensure injustice is not done to any of them."