Opposition parties condemn police action

The agitation being staged by the farmers of the Amaravati capital region entered the 600th day on Sunday.

They had been protesting against the government’s decision to set up three capitals, shifting the main seat of administration from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam (Executive Capital) and the State High Court to Kurnool (Judicial Capital), and making Amaravati the Legislative Capital.

On the occasion of reaching the milestone, the Amaravati Joint Action Committee (JAC) had given a call for a rally from Thullur to the Mangalagiri temple.

But the police foiled its attempts. Even the media personnel were not allowed into the villages. The police allowed only the locals after they produced their identity cards.

The opposition parties condemned the police action. They also lauded the JAC members and the farmers for remaining firm in their stance “despite all odds.”

TDP national general secretary N. Lokesh lauded the ‘Save Amaravati’ agitators for making the protest rally from “nyayasthanam to devasthanam” a success despite the “suppressive arrests and threats from the police.”

He described as “courageous” the steadfastness of the Amaravati farmers, women, youth, party leaders and farm workers in their fight “without yielding to the persecution of the ruling YSRCP leaders.”

“The day is fast approaching when the capital city protesters will bury the YSRCP government in the ditches it dug up on the roads developed as a part of the Amaravati project,” Mr. Lokesh said.

CPI State secretary K. Ramakrishna extended his support to the JAC members and the farmers.

The CPI leaders who were on their way to attend the State Council meeting in Vijayawada too were not allowed.