VIJAYAWADA: Hours after Governor Biswabushan Harichandan gave assent to the Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill and the APCRDA Repeal Bill, TDP supremo and Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu termed it a "historic blunder" and "a blackday for Andhra Pradesh".
"Who will do justice to the people of Andhra Pradesh if the Constitutional head of the State takes such an unlawful decision in violation of the AP Reorganisation Act 2014?" Naidu asked.
Asserting that the TDP as a responsible political party will continue stating agitations and legal battle against the three capitals, he called upon the people to come forward to safeguard the interests of the State.
Recalling that Jagan Mohan Reddy as the leader of opposition had spoken in favour of Amaravati as only Capital City for AP on the floor of the Assembly, Naidu said the YRS Congress chief took a U-turn after coming to power.
Naidu challenged the Chief Minister to seek a fresh mandate as a final referendum on the proposed trifurcation of the Capital. “I will keep quiet if the people give their support to the stand taken up by the government,” he said, addressing a virtual press conference. At one point of time, Naidu turned emotional saying that “the government is killing Amaravati”.
Accusing the YSRC government of making false allegations with the malafide intention to kill Amaravati, he said such “unlawful activities” never happened in the history of any State. Even the Chief Minister’s father YS Rajasekhara Reddy had continued all the developmental projects launched by the TDP regime in Hyderabad, which eventually led to spectacular development there, he said.
He felt that the State would become another Bihar in terms of underdevelopment and poverty if the YSRC’s designs were allowed to come true. "Jagan has taken a Muhammade Bin Tughluq decision to crush the dreams and aspirations of not only 29,000 farmers of Amaravati, but also the five crore people of the State. Moreover, the breach of trust by the YSRC will severely harm the lives of future generations of Andhra Pradesh," he said.
He announced that the TDP would join the agitation proposed by the Amaravati JAC across the State. He welcomed the support from all sections for Amaravati. Naidu appealed to the people to "open their eyes" and realise that the time has come to intensify the agitation against the vicious and atrocious shifting of the capital.
"The people should not think as if this is the problem of the TDP or one individual. In the larger interests of the State and future generations, everybody should join hands and fight for justice. This is no time to play politics," he said.