VIJAYAWADA: The indefinite protest of capital region farmers against the State government’s decision to shift the capital to Visakhapatnam from Amaravati entered the 36th day on Wednesday. Wearing black badges, villagers staged protests against setting up of three capitals in the State on the pretext of decentralisation of administration.
Demanding Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to reconsider his government’s decision on the AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill, 2020, which was passed in the Assembly on Monday, villagers staged Maha Dharna at Thullur and continued relay hunger strike at Mandadam, Rayapudi, Velagapudi and Uddandarayunipalem.
Responding to Tuesday’s Amaravati Bandh call given by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the shifting of capital to Visakhapatnam, people of Mandadam, Thullur, Venkatapalem and other villages closed all the shops and business establishments voluntarily for the second day and participated in the protests organised in private lands.
At Maha Dharna, villagers raised slogans against Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and YSRC for ‘cheating’ farmers who gave their lands for the development of capital Amaravati. The protesters deplored the YSRC leaders’ ‘failure’ to visit the families of farmers who lost their lives while participating in the agitation against shifting of the capital.
“Around 20 farmers have lost their lives fearing uncertain future if the capital is shifted from Amaravati to Vizag as they gave their lands for the development of capital. The Chief Minister should take responsibility for the death of farmers. We will intensify our stir demanding the withdrawal of the move to shift the capital from Amaravati,” said Murali, a farmer.
Villagers of Velagapudi who staged a protest, denounced the ‘highhanded’ behaviour of the police towards farmers while they were staging protests in a peaceful manner. They accused the police of shadowing them wherever they go. “We couldn’t understand why the police are monitoring our daily activities though we are staging protests peacefully. Police have been infiltrated by informers, trespassing our properties and collecting personal information of villagers,” rued people of Velagapudi.
Guntur rural police stated that the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi JAC did not have permission to enforce bandh in the capital region. Hence, the action was taken against bandh enforcers, they said. The police urged villagers not to cause obstructions by staging protests on main roads in the capital region.
Guntur bandh evokes partial response
Guntur: The bandh call given by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the police ‘highhandedness’ towards TDP MP Galla Jayadev and other protesters, evoked a partial response in the district on Wednesday though it was supported by Telugu Desam. Police thwarted the attempts of Amaravati JAC activists when they tried to stop school and college buses. The JAC activists were arrested and shifted to Nallapadu police station. Shops and business establishments were closed in some parts of the city as part of the bandh against the move to shift the capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam. Educational institutions remained closed. TDP district president GV Anjaneyulu, leaders M Subba Rao, Lal Vazir, K Srinivasa Rao and others took part in the protest organised as part of bandh. The police arrested CPI State assistant secretary M Nageswara Rao, district secretary J Ajay Kumar and TDP leaders for trying to enforce the bandh. Police pickets were set up at vulnerable places. Additional force was deployed in the city to maintain law and order.
Video journos booked under Nirbhaya Act
Guntur: The police on Wednesday registered a case against some video journalists under the Nirbhaya Act for allegedly filming policewomen while they were changing clothes at Mandadam. Additional SP KGV Saritha said that the cameramen forcibly entered into a room allotted to policewomen in the ZP High School at Mandadam and filmed a woman cop while she was changing clothes despite her objection. The case was registered against them for their objectionable behaviour, the Additional SP said.