TDP president and former Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu and his party members observed Bhogi on Tuesday by burning copies of the G N Rao committee report and Boston Consulting Group report, as a protest against shifting the capital of Andhra Pradesh away from Amaravati.
Both G N Rao committee and BCG favoured decentralization of the administration and recommended that the capital should be split into three parts. The committee has recommended a proposal to set up three capitals – retain a legislative capital in Amaravati, set up an executive one in Visakhapatnam and a judicial capital in Kurnool.
As part of #SankrantiBhogi, @JaiTDP leader @ncbn burnt copies of #GNRao panel, #BostonConsultingGroup #BCG reports that recommended 3 capitals for #AndhraPradesh #Vijayawada; #Naidu says 3 festival days to be observed as #AmaravatiBhogi, #AmaravatiSankranti, #AmaravatiKanu @ndtv pic.twitter.com/jqnpDJwLym
— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) January 14, 2020
The TDP has vehemently opposed the shifting of capital from Amaravati, calling it an arbitrary action and are leading the protests under the aegis of the Amaravati Parirakshana Samiti (Committee for Protection of Amaravati). The CPI too is part of the committee. The TDP and CPI have formed a Joint Action Committee (JAC) to lead the protests against the Jagan-led government.
After coming to power in May, Jagan Mohan Reddy had halted the projects in Amaravati. He then constituted a committee led by former IAS officer G N Rao to study the feasibility of the capital.
Following this, protests erupted in the 29 villages in Amaravati (capital region development area). The farmers who had pooled in their land for the capital development in Amaravati are up in arms against the government’s decision and have been on an indefinite protest for nearly a month.
There have been allegations of police excess against the protesting farmers. Taking note of this, a team from National Commission for Women (NCW) had visited Thullur, Amaravati, to probe the allegations.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court too pulled up police officials on Monday for their action against peaceful protesters. The court said that their action was in violation of fundamental and human rights. The court further directed officers to conduct an inquiry against police officials who violated the Supreme Court guidelines.