VIJAYAWADA: Villages in the capital region wore a deserted look on Tuesday as the locals decided to distance themselves from Sankranti celebrations this year in protest against Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s three-capital proposal. The protesters have been agitating for the last 28 days, demanding that the Chief Minister retain Amaravati as the State capital.
They are also upset over the CM’s ‘silence’ on the issue despite protests from women and farmers in huge numbers. “The future of thousands, who gave land for the cause of the capital, is uncertain. In times like these, how can we celebrate the festival?” P Seshagiri Rao, a farmer from Mandadam, said. The same kind of situation prevailed in all the 29 villages of the capital region. Farmers have asked their relatives to avoid visiting them during Sankranti.
“We have asked our family members and relatives not to visit us for Sankranti this year as police have imposed prohibitory orders in the name of law and order,” said Thullur ZPTC member Bezawada Narendra Babu.
Meanwhile, locals in Mandadam, Velagapudi, Rayapudi, Uddandarayunipalem and Thullur staged sit-ins even on the first day of Sankranti. They said they would stage a hunger strike on Wednesday.
Telugu Desam leader Vangaveeti Radha Krishna, who was visiting Mandadam, empathised with them and lambasted CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for ‘deceiving’ farmers who donated their lands for capital construction. Accusing him of inciting violence, Vangaveeti asked, “Is this called Rajanna Rajyam?”
TDP leader Nandamuri Suhasini came down heavily on the YSRC government and dared the CM to prove the allegations of insider trading in the capital region.
“If there is any irregularity in the capital, he must take action against the accused. He must answer for committing atrocities against farmers and women,” she demanded.
Farmers meet DGP
Farmers from the capital villages met DGP D Gautam Sawang and took the prevailing conditions in the villages to his notice. They complained that the police attacked the farmers who were staging peaceful protests