Tirupati, August 25: Former TTD chairman B Karunakar Reddy ended his indefinite fast today at the request of Kurtalam Peethadhipati Sri Siddheswarananda Bharati Swami.
Reddy took the lime juice offered by the swamiji at the SVRR Hospital, where he was forcibly shifted by the police in the wee hours breaking his five-day fast around 12 noon.
The swamiji said Hindu society is in need of the services of pious people like Karunakar, who made outstanding contribution to promotion of spiritualism when he was heading the TTD and urged him to give up his fast.
Later talking to mediapersons, Karunakar Reddy reiterated that he would continue his fight in other ways, including legal and political, to press the government to concede his demand for a CBI probe into the allegations levelled against him by the Opposition leaders so that he can prove his innocence.
A high drama preceded the ending of the fast by Karunakar Reddy. Around 4 am a big contingent of policemen led by circle inspector Ravimanohar Achary swooped on the tent, opposite the RTC bus station, where Reddy was observing fast.
Predicting the police action, Reddy’s close followers started gathering at the place in good number since last night.
The police first took local leaders, including former TUDA chairman Chevireddy Bhaksar Reddy, INTUC leaders Mabbu Chenga Reddy and SK Basha and town Youth Congress president Ajaykumar, into custody one by one amidst stiff resistance. The leaders were taken to police stations at Chandragiri, Irala and other places in the district to avoid any possible backlash in Tirupati.
The police then forcibly shifted the fasting Karunakar Reddy to the SVRR Hospital in view of his deteriorating health. A team of doctors who examined Reddy on Monday evening said that he was suffering from high blood pressure and was very weak. Reddy declined treatment, saying “I have been physically brought by the police here but they cannot break my will to continue the fast.’’ But he relented at the request of the swamiji.
Unconfirmed reports say that Kadapa MP Jaganmohan Reddy also spoke with Karunakar Reddy over phone and advised him to give up the fast.
Political observers view the police action against Karunakar Reddy as an indication that the government decided to get tough with the Jagan group. They also feel that the police did not want to give any scope to Karunakar Reddy’s followers to create a scene during the chief minister’s visit to Tirupati tomorrow. Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, former TUDA chief and close follower of Jagan, had warned that Karunakar Reddy’s supporters would disturb the chief minister’s visit if his demand for a CBI inquiry was not conceded.
–Agencies