Andhra minister, MLA houses set afire over stir on district name

Andhra Pradesh minister, Pinipe Viswarup, and the MLA, Ponnada Venkata Satish , were unharmed in the attack, police officers familiar with developments said.

An irate mob set fire to the homes of the state’s transport minister and an MLA at Amalapuram town in the newly created Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday in protest against the government’s proposal to rename the district after B R Ambedkar , police said.

An irate mob set fire to the homes of the state’s transport minister and an MLA at Amalapuram town in the newly created Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

The minister, Pinipe Viswarup, and the MLA, Ponnada Venkata Satish , were unharmed in the attack, police officers familiar with developments said.

Eluru range deputy inspector general of police G Pala Raju said additional forces are being rushed from Rajahmundry, Kakinada and neighbouring West Godavari and Krishna districts to Amalapuram to bring the situation under control. “We have taken several protestors into custody. The situation is under control now,” Raju said.

Home minister Taneti Vanitha took stock of the situation in Amalapuram. She said the perpetrators of the violence will not be spared. “Konaseema district was named after the architect of Indian Constitution as per the aspirations of the local people,” she said.

Dalit groups had sought that the district be named after Ambedkar when it was being created -- the area has a significant Dalit population -- but the government ignored their demand. However, it changed its mind a month and half later.

That hasn’t gone down well with the non-Dalit groups in the reigion. Thousands had gathered in Amalapuram for a protest led by Konaseema Sadhana Samithi against the government’s proposal to rename the district as Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district.

According to police, the protesters staged demonstrations at the local clock tower junction in town and raised slogans against the proposed move. In the evening, they tried to lay siege to the district collector’s office. Police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the crowd which resulted in a clash, said an officer asking not to be named.

Director General of Police K V Rajendranath Reddy said the police maintained a lot of restraint while trying to control the protesters. “We had to do a lathicharge and open fire in the air only when the situation went out of control. We are investigating who is behind the arson and attacks and will book the cases accordingly,” Reddy said.

Several police personnel, including Konaseema superintendent of police K S S V Subba Reddy, sustained injuries due to stone pelting by the protesters, said the officer. The mob also reportedly also set fire to several vehicles parked outside the collector office.

Later, a group of protesters reached Viswarup's residence in Kamanagaru area, vandalised the property and set fire to it. The police officer mentioned above said Viswarup was not in town and his family members were evacuated before the attack.

The protesters then reached the housing board colony and attacked the house of Mummidivaram MLA Satish and set fire to the house.

Reacting to the attack, Viswarup said it was unfortunate that some vested interests were provoking people h to indulge in violence. “I appeal to all sections of people with folded hands to maintain restraint,” he said.

Stating that the government sought to change the name of the district after Ambedkar only to respect the father of the Constitution, the minister said one should feel proud of the decision.

Jana Sena Party chief and actor Pawan Kayan also strongly condemned the violence. He appealed to the people to maintain peace. “It is unfortunate that Ambedkar’s name had become a centre of controversy in the district. The government has miserably failed to maintain law and order in the state. It is unnecessarily creating issues to disturb the peace,” he said.

The proposal to rename the district was floated last Wednesday by the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government. The notification called for objections and suggestions from the public.

Konaseema itself is a new district, carved out from erstwhile combined East Godavari with Amalapuram as its headquarters, as part of the reorganisation of 13 districts into 26, which took effect from April 26.