Several TDP leaders, including the TDP MLC Nara Lokesh, legislator Nimmala Ramanaidu, and former minister Kollu Ravindra, were taken into custody on Tuesday as they were heading to participate in the protests against three-capitals proposal of the state government.
Farmers in the Amaravati region organised a road blockade demanding that the Andhra Pradesh government drop the move to shift the state capital. Nara Lokesh had taken part in a one-day hunger strike with party leader Gaddee Rammohan at Vijayawada, and was moving towards the National Highway for the road blockade protest when he was taken into custody. The police also took former minister Kollu Ravindra into custody. They were both taken to Thotlavalluru police station.
“We have taken Nara Lokesh and others into custody in view of the prevailing tension on the NH, as the leaders prepared to go there,” police said.
The TDP alleged that several of its leaders, including MPs Galla Jayadev, Kesineni Srinivas, former ministers D U Rao, N Anand Babu, former MLA Y Srinivasa Rao and others, were placed under house-arrest since morning to prevent them from taking part in the farmers' agitation.
TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted his response to the arrests calling the state government’s move dictatorial. "The illegal confinement of hundreds of TDP leaders is the pinnacle of the YCP government dictatorship," said Naidu who accused the Jagan government of filing false cases against dissenting farmers.
రాజధాని కోసం వేలాది కుటుంబాలు రోడ్డెక్కి ఆందోళనలు చేస్తుంటే.. రైతులు, రైతుకూలీలకు మద్దతు చెప్పేందుకు వెళ్లకుండా టీడీపీ నేతలను అడ్డుకోవడం అప్రజాస్వామికం. పిరికిచర్య. వందలాది టీడీపీ నేతల అక్రమ నిర్బంధం వైసీపీ ప్రభుత్వ నిరంకుశ పోకడలకు పరాకాష్ట.(1/2)
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) January 7, 2020
A large posse of police was posted on the NH-16 near Chinakakani as the farmers staged the road blockade. State Education Minister A Suresh was caught in the traffic jam, following which police forcibly evicted the protesting farmers and took them away to nearby police stations.
"There is information that some anti-social elements may cause trouble during the agitation and hence we have not permitted the road blockade," Guntur Range Inspector General of Police Vineet Brijlal said in a statement.
In the villages in Amaravati region, farmers and their families continued their protest for the 22nd day on Tuesday, opposing the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government's move to have three capitals for the state.
(With PTI inputs)