Andhra's Amalapuram burns over proposed renaming of Konaseema district

Arson erupted in Amalapuram town of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday over the proposed renaming of the newly created Konaseema district as Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district.

Protesters have set the houses of YSRCP minister Pinipe Viswarupu and a ruling party legislator Ponnada Satish on fire. RTC buses and a private school bus were torched, police vehicles were damaged and at least 20 policemen including an SP level officer suffered injuries in the stone-pelting by the mobs.

Konaseema, comprising the picturesque Godavari delta region, is one of the 13 new districts carved by the Jaganmohan Reddy government. The new administrative units came into being on 4 April.

However, following the appeals from Dalit organizations and some local legislators, the state government had last week issued a notification proposing to rename the district after Dr BR Ambedkar. It invited objections, if any, from the public giving a month's time.

The Konaseema Saadhana Samiti and other caste groups opposed to the name change are demanding the continuation of the district as Konaseema.

On Tuesday, objectors converged in Amalapuram wanting to sit on a protest at the collector's office. The police reportedly resorting to lathi-charge to quell the crowd triggered the youth to react violently.

IPC 144 section, prohibiting public gatherings, was clamped in the town. “Though there was enough police employment, the situation aggravated with about 4000 people pouring into the streets all of a sudden. We have called for additional forces and the situation is being brought under control,” Eluru Range DIG Pala Raju, who is monitoring the status on the ground, told reporters.

The police moved the families of the YSRCP ministers and legislators to safety as the agitated mob went on a rampage.

“We will investigate to know the parties and persons behind this arson,” home minister Taneti Vanitha said, adding that 20 policemen were injured.

Minister Viswarupu, who represents the Amalapuram assembly constituency, said that the renaming decision was taken after consulting everyone and following the demands, and consents of TDP, BJP, and Jana Sena etc parties.

The violence broke out at a time when Chief Minister Reddy is away in Davos for the World Economic Forum meeting.

The police are on high alert in anticipation of more protests on Wednesday.

Opposition leader Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan have appealed for calm.