Fact Check: Chittoor Police Condemn Fake Eenadu Reports, Permissions To Nara Lokesh Padayatra As Per SC Norms

Chittoor district police condemned the distorted facts written in ‘Eenadu’ article titled "Yuvagalaaniki Sharathulu Sankellu", related to permissions given to TDP General Secretary Nara Lokesh's foot march from January 27.

The Andhra Pradesh police on Tuesday accorded permission to his proposed 4,000-km-long padayatra which is set to begin from Kuppam in the Chittoor district. Chittoor SP Rishanth Reddy had stated thatthat the police imposed certain conditions which are common for all public gatherings and no specific condition was imposed for the padayatra. Organisers need to take permission from the police of the district concerned whenever the padayatra enters a new constituency. 

In an explainer, the Chittoor police said that as per law and the Indian Police Act, the Supreme Court's directions apply to all political parties.
The SC Court rules clearly mentioned rules and regulations should be implemented while organizing marches, protests, bandhs, hartals etc. The same rules are applied to TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh’s ‘Yuvagalam Padayatra’.
 It is non-prejudiced and non-discriminatory and these rules and regulations were implemented by different parties and the leaders during their respective political programs.

The Police stated that permissions were taken in the past, during CM Jagan’s Padayatra in the year 2017, and the same rules and regulations are applicable today.  Even during the initial days of CM Jagan’s padayatra, the police authority granted permission and clearly stated that the provision of the Supreme Court verdict of 2007 during the trial of a Suo-moto case is to be implemented.  As per the prescribed rules, permissions had to be obtained from the concerned district police official when entering another district after completing one district and the same has to be followed now.

The permissions given to Nara Lokesh’s Padayatra are followed by the rules and regulations set by the Supreme Court. Attached below is a copy of the Supreme Court's permissions to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the current Chief Minister (the then leader of the opposition) during the 2017 padayatra.

Click HERE for the Supreme Court Judgement Copy, Police Permission Accorded To YS Jagan Praja Sankalpa Padayatras 

The Chittoor police also clarified that as Police it is our duty to ensure public safety and maintain law and order. The law treats everyone equally. Therefore, the same rules and regulations will apply when a political party undertakes any such activities, it said in a statement released on Wednesday.

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