“I am branded as an impulsive man. In the wake of rumours that I may use my licensed revolver to shoot myself, I decided to surrender the weapon in the local police station,” says former Minister and Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham.
Speaking to The Hindu on Wednesday over phone from Kirlampudi, he said: “I have a fighting spirit and I want justice for people of my community. Both me and my wife are ready to sacrifice our lives for the benefit of lakhs of underprivileged people, who have been starving for years,” he said.
Mr. Padmanabham has set Thursday evening as deadline for the State Government to release G.O. including Kapus in the list of Backward Castes and another G.O. releasing of Rs.1,900 crore for the newly-established Kapu Welfare Corporation.
Mr. Mudragada said he would not apply for bail and his supporters also would follow suit.
He alleged that when the meeting was in progress on Sunday, a few anti-social elements barged in after breaking the doors of a make-shift guesthouse where his wife was staying and tried to assault her.
When his attention was drawn to the injuries sustained by a few media persons in his public meeting and damages caused to their cameras, Mr. Padmanabham offered his apologies. He said neither he nor any of his community leaders had instigated people or planned to torch the train or attack police stations.
“It’s a plot by some people in the ruling TDP government. I had never spoken to YSR Congress president Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy about Kapu Ikya Garjana meeting,” he reiterated.