State-wide protests and demonstrations on October 11 and 12 will mark the completion of 300 days of the agitation being staged by the farmers and residents of the Amaravati region under the aegis of the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi.
The residents of villages in the capital region have been demanding that Amaravati be retained as the single capital of Andhra Pradesh.
A resolution was passed on Tuesday at an all-party meeting organised by the samithi members, and attended by the leaders of various political parties, trade unions, and civil society representatives.
Expressing solidarity with the cause, the leaders from various parties said they were ready for a “fight to the finish” battle.
Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi JAC convener A. Siva Reddy said that a joint action plan was being worked out to ensure that these protests leave a deep impact on all the 13 districts of the State. He criticised the government for “remaining indifferent” to the prolonged protests by the farmers, some of whom had lost their lives fighting for the cause.
“None of the Ministers or MLAs have come to the agitating farmers and women in the capital region,” he said, adding, “instead, women who are agitating peacefully for the cause in Vijayawada city are manhandled and arrested.”
5K walk and webinar
The meeting decided to organise protest rallies (5K walk) in all the 175 constituencies across the State on October 11 (Sunday) from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. followed by a webinar on the subject.
On October 12 (Monday), dharna would be staged at the revenue offices across the State. On October 22, a national webinar of women leaders would mark the completion of five years of the foundation-laying ceremony for Amaravati as the new capital of the State, Mr. Siva Reddy said.
CPI(M) State secretary P. Madhu said the successful completion of 294 days of agitation was a moral victory. He blamed a few leaders at the Centre for the “sorry state of affairs in Amaravati today.”
TDP Polit Bureau member Varla Ramaiah took exception to what he called “arrogant stand of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy” on the key issue.
Pothina Mahesh from Jana Sena Party, Sunkara Padma from the Congress, State president of Akhila Bharat Hindu Mahasabha Velagapudi Gopalakrishna, Aam Admi Party leader Varaprasad, Bahujan JAC convener Bala Kotaiah, and former MLA Sravan Kumar spoke.
