Mother ends fast, son begins today

After YS Vijayamma was forced to give up her fast in Guntur her son YS Jaganmohan Reddy has decided to go on indefinite fast in the Chanchalguda Central Jail here from Sunday. The police shifted Vijayamma to hospital in the early hours of Saturday where she continued her fast. But she was advised by Jagan to give up the fast as he was concerned about her health. YSRCP leaders said that Jagan would start his deeksha on Sunday by refusing his tea in the morning.

Following the announcement that Y S Jaganmohan Reddy would launch his indefinite fast from Sunday morning, Chanchalguda jail authorities have started looking into the jail manual to see if an undertrial could go on fast. According to jail Superintendent, rules do not permit an undertrial to protests, fast or such type of protests. While claiming that they did not receive any request for permission from Jagan, the jail authorities said, even if permission was sought it cannot be entertained. If anyone violates the rules action would be taken against them.

They further said it could even make him lose the opportunity for mulaqat and the special category status. Jagan being special category prisoner gets his food cooked specially in jail but it is the responsibility of the jail officials to supervise whether he was eating food or not. Jagan's decision was announced soon after his wife Bharati and several party leaders called on him. YSRCP leaders say that Jagan has decided to undertake the indefinite fast with the sole aim of wishing good to the people of the state and opposing the unilateral decision of the Congress high command to divide the state.

They said Jagan would set some demands to the Centre on the bifurcation of the state. On the other hand, his sister Sharmila who has set a new record when she walked for over 3,112 km in 230 days spanning 116 constituencies, has decided to embark on a bus yatra soon. This was announced by party senior leader Konatala Ramakrishna at a press conference in Hyderabad on Saturday.

It is said that Jagan will have to first apply for permission to sit on indefinite fast since he is an undertrial prisoner. Jail authorities said that they would examine the request as per rules if Jagan made such a request. According to the jail superintendent, till Saturday evening they did not receive any such request from him. Earlier during the day Jagan called his mother over telephone with the permission of jail authorities and urged her to call off the fast which she was continuing in the hospital ever since the police forcefully shifted her from deeksha site in Guntur past midnight on Friday.