Visakhapatnam: The Vizag city police is carefully monitoring the campaign on social media platforms for a silent protest at the RK Beach on January 26 demanding Special Category status, triggered by the Chennai jallikattu agitation.
Police sources said Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan's support on Twitter had enthused youth. He wrote: 'If the youth of AP is planning to do a silent protest on 26th Jan RK Beach, Jana Sena supports them'.
Over 4,500 youths the in Vizag region have shown interest and over 2,000 have confirmed participation so far. Sources said students of colleges, and fans of cine actors like Pawan Kalyan and Mahesh Babu and some other actors and various associations have been circulating the message in WhatsApp groups to seek support from a larger number of people for the protest.
If all goes as per plan, YSRC president Jagan Mohan Reddy and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and some others may participate in the protest.
However, the police made it clear that the organisers have to take prior permission to host any kind of protests in the city.
City police chief T. Yoganand said as the Republic Day is on January 26, they would not allow such protests without permission.
"The police has been watching the developments and would chalk out a plan to handle it. We are yet to consider the proposed candlelight march from VUDA park to
RK Beach by the YSRC and will examine various aspects," he added.
Sources in police said they had been closely monitoring the Facebook page and any form of provocation would not be accepted.
"We are working on who has uploaded the page and the proposed protest is not only in Vizag city, but also in Vijayawada and Tirupati," they added.
Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has expressed displeasure over the development as Vizag city is slated to host the two-day CII Partnership Summit, in which delegates from various countries will be participating.
"Such a move would dent the image of the city of destiny," Mr Naidu said.
"We met ACP (East) A. Narasimha Murthy and told him about our proposed protest rally. However, the ACP said they will examine and would take a decision. We would stage the protest on the day and, irrespective of parties and associations, many people would gather for the noble cause," said J. Satish, an organiser of the campaign and protest.
