Protest by Amaravati farmers over 3 capitals completes four years

AMRAVATI: Protest by farmers and women of Amaravati against Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government's decision to create three capitals completed four years on Sunday.

The protesters, who are demanding that Amaravati be retained as the only state capital, hoisted their flag and participated in all-religion prayer meetings to mark the occasion.

Farmers and women gathered in large numbers at protest camps in all 29 villages in Amaravati capital region. Holding placards, the protesters raised slogans in support of their demand.

The protesters paid tributes to those who died during the movement. The organisers say 200 farmers have died due to the government’s decision for trifurcation of the state capital.

On December 17, 2019, Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had announced in the state Assembly that three state capitals will be developed reversing the decision of the previous TDP government to develop Amaravati as the state capital.

The YSRCP government mooted Visakhapatnam as administrative capital, Kurnool as judicial capital and Amaravati as legislative capital.

This triggered massive protests from farmers of Amaravati, who had given 33,000 acres of land for the capital and the previous government had also undertaken the works on some components of the mega project.

Sunday was 1,461st day of the protest in the villages. The protesters made it clear that they will continue their movement till the government drops its plans.

They blamed the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government for all the hardships faced by farmers and their families for last four years

Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi (APS), which is spearheading the movement against three capitals, undertook two padyatras during last two years to mobilise public support for their demand.

In 2021, the farmers undertook a 45-day long Padyatra from Amaravati to Tirupati.

On March 3, 2022, Andhra Pradesh High Court had directed the state government to develop Amaravati as the state capital in six months. A bench of three judges had pronounced the judgment on 75 petitions filed by Amaravati farmers and others challenging the government's move on three capitals.

In September, the farmers launched Maha Padyatra from Amaravati to Arasavalli in Srikakulam district to demand implementation of the High Court.

The walkathon was held amid restrictions imposed by police and alleged hurdles created by the ruling party supporters. All the opposition parties had backed the padyatra by the farmers.

In November last year, the Supreme Court while hearing the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the state government, gave a stay on the High Court's directions to develop infrastructure in Amaravati within a stipulated time-frame.

The Supreme Court, however, did not stay the other part of the judgement, which declared Amaravati as the state capital and the law on three capitals was not valid.

APS also moved the Supreme Court, questioning the state government’s SLP. The case is likely to come up for hearing later this month.

In October, Jagan Mohan Reddy announced that he will shift to Visakhapatnam in December.

The state government also constituted a committee of officials to identify suitable transit accommodation, including a camp office for the Chief Minister and accommodation for senior functionaries.

It was stated that the chief minister will be visiting Visakhapatnam on a regular basis to hold review meetings on the development of north coastal Andhra Pradesh.

However, protesting farmers of Amaravati argue that the government can't shift the executive capital as the matter is pending in the Supreme Court.