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Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana said that his family was targeted by the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government in Andhra Pradesh for supporting the Amaravati farmers’ movement against shifting the capital to Visakhapatnam.
Speaking at the fifth convocation of the Vellore Institute of Technology, Andhra Pradesh (VIT-AP) University held on Andhra Pradesh Formation Day, November 1, Justice Ramana spoke about his relationship to Amaravati and the sustained protests by farmers and landowners under the previous YSRCP government. The protesters had given up their land for the capital construction under the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government hoping to get developed plots in an urbanised region in exchange.
“The farmers sustained their struggle for five years in spite of constant suffering. There are moments in a public life when the conviction towards your duty becomes painfully personal. Most of you present here know how my family was targeted and criminal cases were filed against them. All this was done only to quiesce me, and I was not alone,” Justice Ramana said.
The former CJI’s daughters were booked by the YSRCP government for allegedly abusing their official position to buy land in Amaravati, having prior knowledge of its capital status before it was made public.
In 2020, the Andhra Pradesh High Court had stayed the investigation into the case of alleged corruption in which several persons including Justice Ramana’s daughters were named. The High Court also issued an injunction against any reporting by the media on the contents of the First Information Report (FIR).
Soon after this, former Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote to then CJI SA Bobde levelling serious allegations against Justice Ramana, who was next in line to become the CJI. The letter made waves as it was possibly the first-time ever in India that a politician in a ruling party wrote to the CJI regarding a senior judge.
Jagan alleged that Justice Ramana has been ‘influencing’ the functioning of the Andhra Pradesh High Court to act in favour of the TDP, which was in opposition at the time.
Jagan alleged a “nexus” between Justice Ramana, the TDP and certain judges of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He also accused him of influencing the HC's roster and thereby the outcome of many cases.
The Supreme Court dismissed Jagan’s complaint about a year later after an ‘in-house procedure’.
Addressing the audience at the convocation ceremony on November 1, Justice Ramana said, “Amaravati is very close to my heart because its soil, air, and water have shaped my life as a student leader and a lawyer.”
He said that the present day Amaravati owes its existence to the resilience of the farmers of the region.
Speaking about the Amaravati farmers and landowners’ protest, Justice Ramana said, “During that difficult phase, all those who empathised with the cause of farmers faced intimidation and coercion. Even members of the judiciary who upheld constitutional principles faced transfers, pressure and persecution. Families of judges who had no role (in the matter) became collateral to political machinations,” he said.
“While governments may change, the courts and rule of law remain the anchor of stability,” he added.