VIJAYAWADA: Protests continued for the ninth day on Thursday in capital villages as the farmers who had given lands for Amaravati took to the streets opposing the three-capital proposal made by the YSRC government. They alleged that their fundamental rights were being violated by the government and that they would intensify their fight if the government doesn’t announce that Amaravati would be continued as the capital after the Cabinet meeting scheduled on Friday.
Mild tension prevailed in the morning when the police did not allow the farmers, who blocked the road leading to the Secretariat, to stage a demonstration.
While the proceedings went smooth later, the farmers were once again up in arms in the evening after the YSRC MLAs claimed that the government has decided to approve GN Rao Committee’s report.
They raised slogans saying that they would give their blood but would not let the relocation of capital and took out a march in Mandadam and Thullur. “We will not back down until the government clearly announces that the capital would be developed here. If the Cabinet decides otherwise, we will chalk out our plan accordingly,” the farmers asserted.
In the morning, women from the capital villages showed their dissent by cooking food on the road. “We appeal to the government not to take us for granted because we are peacefully showing our dissent. We are not going to keep mum if the government unilaterally proceeds with its proposal,” the women warned.
The agitation taken out by the villagers of Mandadam turned tense when police denied permission for them to set up a protest camp on the road leading to Interim Government Complex (IGC), Velagapudi. Heated arguments were exchanged between police personnel and the villagers of Mandadam, including the women. With the situation going out of control, police deployed additional forces.
Gurazala sub-divisional police officer R Sri Hari Babu along with force reached Mandadam and urged the villagers to stage protests in a peaceful manner. The DSP allowed the villagers to set up the protest camp. With the villagers setting up the protest camp at Mandadam, police diverted the vehicles to the Secretariat through the Seed Access Road until evening.
Farmers meet Governor
Later in the day, a group of leaders of ‘Amaravati Rajadhani Samikarana Rythu Samakhya’ met Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan and gave a representation seeking his intervention in retaining Amaravati as the capital. “If the Secretariat and High Court are shifted, Amaravati will become a ghost city and our livelihood would be adversely affected. The present government ignoring continuity in governance is a clear case of violation of our fundamental rights,” they said.
Late in the night, farmers set old tyres on fire on the streets of Pedaparimi village in protest against the comments of the YSRC MLAs that the interests of the farmers will be protected even if the capital is shifted to Visakhapatnam.
HC to hear pleas on Monday
The AP High Court on Thursday said it will hear two separate implead petitions challenging GN Rao Committee recommendations and decentralisation of administration on December 30.
The first petition was filed by Rajadhani Rythu Parirakshana Samithi secretary Dhanekula Rama Rao. When the petitioner’s counsel brought the issue to the notice of a High Court division bench, Chief Justice JK Maheswari said it was not possible to take up the issue for the day and said they will hear it on Monday.
The petitioner questioned the need for three capitals for a small state like AP with 13 districts and said there is no legal sanctity for the committee. Another implead petition was filed stressing the need for having High court, Secretariat and Assembly in Amaravati only.
