Protests in Amaravati over capital shift casts shadow over Sankranti celebration

Those who gave their fertile lands under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) for the capital’s cause, continued demanding that the CM’s make a clear announcement on the issue.
Police assist a special branch police officer who was detained by Mandadam villagers for entering a private property on Sunday| Prasant Madugula
Police assist a special branch police officer who was detained by Mandadam villagers for entering a private property on Sunday| Prasant Madugula

VIJAYAWADA: The indefinite protests in Amaravati against Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s three-capital cities proposal and police restrictions have not only disturbed the everyday lives of villagers, but also kept people settled in other places from visiting their natives in the region for the Sankranti festivities.

The agitations of capital farmers against the proposal to shift the Secretariat to Visakhapatnam and high court to Kurnool entered Day 26 on Sunday. Those who gave their fertile lands under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) for the capital’s cause, continued demanding that the CM’s make a clear announcement on the issue.

Though the Sankranti date is inching closer, no arrangements are made by the capital villagers to welcome their family members and relatives. The protesters are of the opinion that at least their relatives should celebrate the festival in peace, instead of the protesting.

Aluri Venkateswara Rao from Mandadam said he has asked his son not to come home as the situation there is volatile. “My son lives in Hyderabad with his family. He visits us every year to celebrate Sankranti. But this year, I have asked him not to come home. How can I invite him when the village is simmering with protests?”

It’s not just Rao, but also several others who have asked their sons and daughters living in other States not to come home for the festival.“By not celebrating the festival, we are going to express our dissent against CM Jagan’s capital proposal,”  P Raja Rao rued.   

Meanwhile, a few farmers said they were leaving for other places to celebrate the festival. “I’m leaving for Hyderabad as my son requested me to celebrate the festival with his. Instead of spreading happiness, CM Jagan has left farmers in a lurch,” Rangamma added.

Meanwhile, the villagers alleged that police personnel were knocking their doors in night hours creating panic. However, refuting the allegations, Thullur Deputy Superintendent of Police Srinivas Reddy said the villagers were spreading false news about police.

Policeman faces heat

A special branch police official was subjected to an unexpected incident on Sunday as protesters in Mandadam stopped and tried to attack him. After the protesters noticed that he was making a video of the agitation and had entered a property that belonged to a local, he was asked to establish his identity. Duty police reached the spot and told the villagers that he was a police officer and rescued him.

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