The Jantar Mantar sit-in was organised by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi (APS), which is leading the movement against the proposed three capitals.
Farmers from the region protested in New Delhi on Saturday, demanding that Amaravati be developed as the state capital of Andhra Pradesh.
The Jantar Mantar sit-in was organised by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi (APS), which is leading the movement against the proposed three capitals.
They demanded that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government abandon its plans to build three capitals and honour its promises to the people of Amaravati.
The APS organised the protest with the slogan “Dharani Kota to Erra Kota” to mark three years since the YSRCP government announced the trifurcation of the state capital.
To highlight their demand, APS president Shiva Reddy, secretary G. Tirupati Rao, and other leaders organised a protest in the national capital. Leaders of the Left parties and farmers’ organisations marched in solidarity with the farmers of Amaravati.
The APS leaders will meet with leaders and MPs from various political parties on Sunday and Monday to seek their support for their movement.
On Monday, Amaravati farmers will join the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh’s protest at Ramlila Grounds in support of various farmer demands.
The Amaravati farmers’ movement has been included on the agenda for the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh meeting.
Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced in the state Assembly on December 17, 2019 that three state capitals will be developed, reversing the previous TDP government’s decision to develop Amaravati as the state capital.
Visakhapatnam was proposed as the administrative capital, Kurnool as the judicial capital, and Amaravati as the legislative capital by the YSRCP government.
This sparked massive protests from Amaravati farmers, who had donated 33,000 acres of land for the capital, and the previous government had also begun work on some components of the megaproject.
On September 12, Amaravati farmers launched the Maha Padyatra from Amaravati to Arasavalli as part of their protest. It was supposed to end on November 12 at Arasavalli. However, on October 22, the organisers called a halt to the march, claiming that the YSRCP government is impeding their long march.
Last year, the farmers organised a Maha Padayatra from Amaravati to Tirupati to rally public support for their demands.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the state government to develop Amaravati as the state capital within six months on March 3, 2022. A three-judge panel ruled on 75 petitions filed by Amaravati farmers and others opposing the government’s move on three capitals.
The state government, however, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court stayed the High Court order last month, stating that the court cannot act as a town planner or engineer.
