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Amaravati shutdown on Thursday to protest Jagan’s three-capital plan
Jagan has mooted retaining Amaravati as the legislative capital and Kurnool in Rayalaseema as the judicial capital along with Visakhapatanam in the north coastal region as the executive capital city. His government has appointed an expert committee to study the proposal.
Amaravati farmers have called for Thursday shutdown of the capital to protest against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s proposal to create two more capitals in the state.
The decision was taken in a farmers’ meeting on Wednesday at Uddandarayunipalem village, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the state capital four years ago.
“We are also planning to go to Delhi to raise the matter to the Prime Minister and seek his intervention,” a farmer, who refused to identify himself, told reporters.
Another farmer Anil Kumar Karumanchi from Krishnayapalem village, who gave away 20 acres of his land for Amaravati under land pooling, said Jagan government’s idea, if implemented, would disadvantage thousands of farmers in the capital region.
“The previous TDP government had taken away our precious land for the capital and allotted us plots, saying their value would go up steeply once the capital comes up. The present Jagan government also assured to develop the plots. But now, we are told Amaravati will no more be an administrative capital. What will happen to our plots? Who will buy them when there is no capital city here?” Karumanchi asked.
Since Wednesday morning, the farmers in several villages blocked the roads in protest. At Velagapudi, where the state secretariat has come up, they squatted on the roads shouting slogans against the government.
In Mandadam of Thullur block, farmers assaulted a passer-by who voiced support to Jagan’s proposal to make Visakhapatnam the executive capital. The police had to intervene to save him.
Minister for information and public relations Perni Venkataramaiah alias Nani told reporters that Jagan’s proposal for three capitals had wide support from all regions and it would result in the all-round development of the state. He called the protests motivated and insignificant.
“These protests are politically motivated and are insignificant, compared to the number of farmers who had given their lands for the capital,” Nani said.
Jagan has mooted retaining Amaravati as the legislative capital and Kurnool in Rayalaseema as the judicial capital along with Visakhapatanam in the north coastal region as the executive capital city. His government has appointed an expert committee to study the proposal.
