With the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government completing the legislative process for trifurcation of the Andhra Pradesh capital, hundreds of people from Amaravati opposed to the move have pinned their last hopes on the judiciary.
Farmers and landowners from the 29 villages of the Amaravati capital region have resumed their protest after Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan cleared the two controversial Bills to create three capital cities and to abolish the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA).
Over the past few months, due to the coronavirus induced lockdown, protesters had moved away from the protest camps in the streets. They have now returned to the streets to oppose the YSRCP government's plan to trifurcate the state capital.
The protest spearheaded by Amaravati Parirakshana Joint Action Committee (JAC) entered its 230th day on Sunday. The JAC claimed that during the lockdown, the farmers continued the protest at their homes.
The farmers, supported by opposition parties, have now pinned their hopes on the High Court, where various petitions challenging the three-capital plan, reports of various committees, CRDA Bill and non-implementation of Council chairman's order to constitute Select Committee to study the two Bills are pending.
"The farmers gave their lands as per an agreement with the government and the CRDA. How can CRDA be repealed when the case is pending in the court?" asked Amaravati Parirakshana Joint Action Committee (JAC) convenor A Siva Reddy.
Muppala Subba Rao, state president of Indian Association of Lawyers believes that the Governor's action in approving the Bills will not stand legally and constitutionally. He pointed out that Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 provides for one state capital and if the state government wants to have three capitals, the law has to be amended.
"Similarly AP Reorganisation Act has to be amended for shifting the High Court to Kurnool. The state government or Governor have no powers to shift the court," he said and pointed out that the High Court has already stayed an order issued by the state government to shift the offices of Vigilance Commissioner and Commissioner of Inquiries to Kurnool.
With the Governor approving the bills, the offices of the Chief Minister, Governor, Ministers and all top bureaucrats will be shifted to Visakhapatnam. For all practical purposes, the coastal city will become the seat of power. The High Court will be shifted to Kurnool, making it the judicial capital.
Amaravati, which was originally planned as the only state capital and a world-class city, will serve as a mere legislative capital as the state legislature meets for barely 50 to 60 days in a year.
The repeal of the APCRDA, which was created for development of Amaravati as the state capital, has paved the way for the formation of the Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Authority.
It was on December 18, 2019 that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy had announced a three-capital plan in the Assembly. Since then, Amaravati has been witnessing protests by farmers, who had given their lands for development of the state capital five years ago in the hope of receiving developed plots in exchange.
The move by Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government has triggered distress among nearly 24,000 farmer families who had given 33,000 acres of land under land pooling scheme.