Despite police warnings, thousands of employees of various government departments, led by PRC Sadhana Samiti, participated in a meeting on BRTS Road, here on Thursday.
Though the police said that Section 144 and Section 30 of Police Act were in force and COVID-19 rules were in place, members of NGOs and various employees’ associations participated in ‘Chalo Vijayawada’.
They raised slogans opposing the new PRC and demanded justice. The employees carrying placards and banners reached the venue. However, police prevented many employees from attending the programme from the districts.
Even as the police arranged barricades on the roads leading to the venue (BRTS Road), the protestors jumped the barricades and managed to cross the police pickets. Earlier, police arranged pickets and checked the vehicles at toll gates, bus and railway stations in all districts, and on all the roads leading to Vijayawada.
Leaders of NGOs, Revenue, Secretariat, Teachers and other associations, former MLCs, Pensioners and other association leaders participated in ‘Chalo Vijayawada’.
Police took measures to prevent any untoward incidents during the programme. They arranged surveillance cameras and drones to identify trouble mongers and strangers in the gathering.