Capital demand: Amaravati farmers on a long march to Tirupati

The YSRCP government had in 2020 brought in two legislations – one stripping Amaravati of its sole capital

In yet another form of protest against Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy's decision to strip Amaravati of its sole capital status, farmers from the region have set out on a 46-day long march – Mahapadayatra - to Tirupati.

Themed as “Nyayasthanam (high court) to Devathanam (temple),” the march would culminate in the temple town on December 17. It was on December 17, 2019 that Reddy had first unveiled his controversial plan of three capitals for the state in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. The Amaravati farmers have been agitating since that day with their 'One State and One Capital' demand.

The previous Chandrababu Naidu government had in 2015 pooled about 33,000 acres of fertile land from the Amaravati farmers to build a mega capital.

The YSRCP government had, later in 2020, brought in two legislations – one stripping Amaravati of its sole capital status and other to establish the executive capital at Visakhapatnam, judiciary in Kurnool with Amaravati remaining only as the legislative capital. However, Reddy's capital shift is on hold following the directions of Andhra Pradesh High Court.

The farmers' protest march is now from Amaravati where the high court is located to Tirupati, the abode of Lord Venkateshwara, one of the most revered deities in the state. The campaign has received the support of TDP, Congress, Left and other parties.

TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh lauded the agitators for “never backing down in their fight despite the suppression and humiliation by the ruling YSRCP government for the past 685 days.” “In the face of oppression, false cases and arrests, farmers, women, youth and other sections of the Amaravati area have been relentless in their struggle,” Lokesh said.

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