VIJAYAWADA/VISAKHAPATNAM: Several ministers lambasted TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu for trying to instigate differences among regions and create law and order problems with the proposed Amaravati to Arasavalli Yatra. They reiterated that the policy of the State government is decentralised administration and development.
Addressing separate press conferences at Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Vijayawada and other places, they described the proposed Maha Padayatra by Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi (APS) as Danda Yatra of TDP to stop Visakhapatnam from becoming the executive capital of the State.
Reiterating that the YSRC government is committed to its policy of three capitals, Minister for IT and Industry G Amarnath said a revised bill for the decentralised administration of the State through three capitals will be tabled in the ensuing session of the State Assembly. He described the padayatra of Amaravati farmers as ‘Danda Yatra’ on Uttarandhra.
He lamented that whenever the State government was moving forward, attempts were being made to drag it backwards. Even as Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was keen on developing North Andhra by locating the executive capital in Visakhapatnam, Naidu was trying to stall it by instigating the Amaravati ryots, he alleged.
Echoing Amarnath, another minister Seediri Appalaraju said the proposed yatra has the backing of TDP and it is nothing but trying to bully the people of North Andhra. “He said permission was given by the HC to the yatra, but it did not give permission to hurt the sentiments of people of North Andhra. If Naidu instigates people in the name of the yatra, it will not be good for him,” he asserted.
Minister for Education Botcha Satyanarayana said any yatra should be beneficial to the people of the State and not create a rift among them. “ Our government is committed to equal development of all regions and three capitals is our policy. We will make it legal,” he averred.
Ministers B Mutyala Naidu, P Rajanna Dora, and former minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani) also lashed out at the TDP chief for trying to instigate the people against the YSRC government’s move to make Visakhapatnam as the State executive capital.