Following TN’s lead, Amaravati locals draw rangoli to protest three capitals for AP

Soon after the people of Tamil Nadu registered their protest against the CAA and NRC in a novel way by drawing kolams in front of their houses, protesters in Andhra Pradesh’s Amaravati followed suit, drawing ‘muggulu’ or ‘rangolis’ calling for the preservation of Amaravati’s capital status.

On new year’s eve, as the protests entered the fifteenth day, colourful patterns were drawn in the streets of Amaravati villages, with many of them reading ‘Save Amaravati, Save Andhra Pradesh.’

Farmers and landowners from the 29 villages of Amaravati who had given up their land for the development of a huge capital city in the region as promised by the former Telugu Desam Party government have been protesting the Jagan Mohan Reddy government’s proposal to dilute Amaravati’s capital status by setting up three different capitals.

On Tuesday, former Chief Minister and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu urged party leaders and workers to forego new year celebrations to stand in support of the protesters.

An expert committee constituted by the YSRCP government recommended the formation of three capitals in the interest of decentralised administration and uniform development. The three capitals with different functions were proposed to come up in Vizag (executive), Kurnool (judicial) and Amaravati (legislative). The proposal has invoked mixed reactions across the state, with people from different parts of the state demanding development in their respective regions.

Those who had contributed their land for the capital had been promised developed plots in the full-fledged capital of Amaravati. Protesters are unhappy with the decision to dilute the status and scale of the capital in Amaravati. Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan visited the protest site on Tuesday, while Naidu joined the protests on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet has deferred the final decision on the matter and has constituted a High Power Committee to examine the expert committee reports as well as a report by the Boston Consulting Group before taking the final call, in about three weeks’ time.