Tension mounts over Millennium March

Vijayawada: Will September 1 prove to be action replay of February 2 when employees' unions succeeded for 'Chalo Vijayawada'? The police, having learnt a lesson from the bitter experience of February 1, have virtually taken the city and outskirts under seize. Officials said that under no circumstances would they allow Millennium March to succeed as there is no permission for it.

The Millennium March is being organised again by the government employees demanding that the Central Pension Scheme be scrapped. They want the old pension scheme to be restored as was promised by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy during his padayatra. The employees and the government representatives held several rounds of meeting on this and offered to come up with a new scheme in place of CPS and expressed inability to revive the old pension scheme. Rejecting the proposal, the employees gave a call for the Millennium March.

For the last three days, the Vijayawada police have been on tenterhooks conducting search operations in all the hotels and lodges in the city. The police also took up a massive flag march in the city with the APSP, AR and civil police. What causes worry for the police is that the protestors may enter the city in the guise of devotees as Ganesh Chaturthi festival is on August 31 just a day ahead of the march. On the other hand, the employees' unions say that there is no question of going back on their decision and they have their own strategies to make the protest a success.

More than 5,000 police personnel are deployed for patrolling and vigil duties in the city. 

Besides, the Central forces and the paramilitary forces will also be deployed. It is learnt that Vijayawada Police Commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata, Eluru Range DIG G Pala Raju, Guntur Range DIG Trivikrama Varma were given instructions not to allow the March. Special attention is being paid at railways stations, inter-district bus stations and strict checking of vehicles at the check posts and toll gates has been taken up.