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Jagan’s yet another deadly blow to Amaravathi

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Jagan’s yet another deadly blow to Amaravathi

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy is on a mission to put an end to Amaravathi capital city as early as possible.

In yet another crucial decision towards goal, the Jagan government on Wednesday (today) issued orders creating Mangalagiri-Tadepalli municipal corporation (MTMC).

Mangalagiri and Tadepalli fall under Amaravathi capital region.

By making it a municipal corporation, Jagan government gave enough hints that Amaravathi will be confined as a municipal corporation and not as a capital city.

There is already Guntur municipal corporation in Amaravathi. The Jagan government has created a new municipal corporation in the name of MTMC on par with Amaravathi by merging 21 surrounding villages.

With this, Amaravathi capital region lost its importance further as it was bifurcated as two municipal corporations.

Amaravathi will now be known just as a municipal corporation along with Guntur municipal corporation and MTMC.

The latest orders of Jagan government are being viewed as sounding death knell to Amaravathi capital city yet again.

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Amaravati is the right of Andhra people: Chandrababu Naidu

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Amaravati is the right of Andhra people: Chandrababu Naidu

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday said that Amaravati is the right of Andhra people and called upon all to fight for it.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president participated in a road show as part of the party’s campaign in Vijayawada Municipal Corporation elections.

Naidu said at least one person from every house should come forward to fight for continuing Amaravati as the state capital.

The leader of opposition said people of Vijayawada should move ahead with a clear plan and fight for Amaravati. He said the fight to save Amaravati as the only state capital is a people’s fight.

“Amaravati is not for me. It’s for the people,” said Naidu, who recalled that farmers gave their land for building the state capital.

Naidu urged people to elect TDP candidate as Vijayawada mayor. He called for putting an end to what he called the tyranny of the ruling YSR congress Party (YSRCP).

A total of 347 candidates are in the fray for the elections to Vijayawada Municipal Corporation scheduled to be held on March 10. The number of municipal wards has gone up from 59 to 64.

The YSRCP has fielded candidates in all the wards while TDP, which has an alliance with CPI, is contesting 57 seats. The CPI has fielded candidates in six wards.

The BJP fielded candidates in 22 wards, while the Jana Sena Party candidates are contesting in 41 wards.

The Congress fielded candidates in 34 wards, CPI-M in 22 wards and BSP is contesting in two wards.

Meanwhile, Vijayawada Police Commissioner B. Srinivasulu said that police are making fool-proof arrangements for a smooth conduct of the elections scheduled to be held on March 10.

He said that the department is deploying about 3,000 police personnel for the peaceful conduct of elections in Vijayawada. The commissioner said that 1,870 rowdy-sheeters were bound over.

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HC quashes atrocities cases against Amaravati farmers

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HC quashes atrocities cases against Amaravati farmers

The High Court of Andhra Pradesh is giving blow after blow to the Jaganmohan Reddy Government. Today also, the court struck down yet another case filed against the Amaravati farmers. This was pertaining to the SC, ST atrocities that were filed against the SC farmers of Krishnayapalem village in the Capital city area.

The respondents’ lawyer argued before the court that the atrocities cases should be filed only when the SC, STs were attacked by other castes or communities. In this case, the police filed the atrocities cases against the SC farmers. This was quite unheard of in the past that such cases could be filed.

Only yesterday, the HC gave a verdict that no insider trading took place in the Amaravati lands. Even after the change of the Chief Justice of AP, one by one adverse orders were being given against the cases and decisions of the Jagan regime.

Soon, the cases relating to the shifting of Capital infrastructure will also come up before the High Court.

Analysts say that the farmers’ petitions were strong in respect of their agreements reached with the Government for the development of the Capital. Tough days are ahead for the Jagan regime with all these cases coming up before the court in a row.

The AP Government is approaching the Supreme Court on all these cases but the future is uncertain whether the CM could get final approval for Capital shifting.

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Would Jagan rule go to Supreme Court on ‘insider trading’?

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Would Jagan rule go to Supreme Court on ‘insider trading’?

The Jaganmohan Reddy Government has made it a ritual to approach the Supreme Court of India on all adverse orders of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. It had happened in respect of the YCP colours, English medium, State Election Commissioner, etc. Today, once again, the High Court struck down the Jagan regime’s insider trading charges that were made against Chandrababu Naidu and TDP leaders in the Amaravati Capital lands.
Analysts are asking whether the CM would once again go to the Supreme Court on the insider trading issue as well. Interestingly, this time, the High Court summarily rejected the CID cases saying that the insider trading allegations would not be applicable to any of the sections of the IPC.

With this, it was proved that the Chief Minister, his Ministers and MLAs have been making false allegations against the TDP leaders on this count. Now, the YCP leaders can no longer give ‘insider trading’ as the reason for their shifting the AP Capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam. This is the only major reason that the CM has used to whip up feelings among the people to support his Capital shifting task all these days.

Legal experts say that if the AP Government would still go to the Supreme Court on insider trading, that would make it look absurd. The High Court had made it clear that the insider trading charges cannot be booked under the IPC.

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Andhra HC judge gets warm send-off after judgment attacking CM

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Andhra HC judge gets warm send-off after judgment attacking CM

Amaravati farmers and women gave a warm send-off to Andhra Pradesh High Court judge Justice Rakesh Kumar, who retired on Thursday, a day after delivering a judgment with a sharp attack on Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Large number of farmers gathered on Seed Access road when Rakesh Kumar was returning from the High Court and bid adieu to him with folded hands. They thanked him for standing by the farmers of Amaravati region fighting against the proposal to trifurcate the state capital.

Farmers displayed placard with slogan ‘Long live Justice Rakesh Kumar’. He stopped his car to thank farmers for their send-off and had a chat with some of them.

A division bench comprising Justice Kumar and Justice D. Ramesh on Wednesday rejected a prayer for recusal of Justice Kumar from hearing petitions filed against the proposed sale of government lands in Guntur and Visakhapatnam districts under “Mission Build AP” and posted the batch of writ petitions to the second week of February 2021.

The court also passed an order initiating criminal prosecution against Mission Build AP Director and senior IAS officer Pravin Kumar for submitting a false affidavit which amounted to perjury.

“If such petitions are entertained, it will amount to allowing the party for hunting the Bench. Such an action by the State was not expected, but in this State, as I have observed the circumstances herein above, everything can be possible. However, at the same time, the Court cannot be frightened by any such action of the State,” Justice Kumar observed.

The court issued notices to Pravin Kumar asking why action should not be taken against him for contempt of court for trying to interfere in the discharge of judicial functions of high court with false allegations.

Justice Kumar felt that bureaucrats of Andhra Pradesh have been emboldened after Chief Minister addressed a letter to the Chief Justice of India — and made it public — with allegations against a senior Supreme Court judge, the Chief Justice of the AP High Court and number of sitting Judges of AP High Court with their names.

He also observed that the Andhra Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court is “under attack” by those in power.

The judge also made a scathing observation that the recent transfer of the Chief Justices of the High Courts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana may delay proceedings in the three capitals case and the CBI cases pending against the Chief Minister, giving him an “undue advantage”.

“We are not aware as to whether any contempt proceeding for such an action (Jagan’s letter to CJI) has been taken or not by the Chief Justice of India. But, it is a fact that recommendation has been made on December 14 by the Collegium of Supreme Court for transfer/appointment of Chief Justices, which includes transfer of Chief Justice of AP High Court to the Sikkim High Court and transfer of the Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court to the Uttarakhand High Court. Whether by this act of sending an unceremonious letter to the Chief Justice of India, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh will get final relief or not but fact remains that he succeeded in getting undue advantage at the present moment.

“People may draw an inference as if after the so called letter of Chief Minister, the two Chief Justices, i.e., the Chief Justice of High Court for the State of Telangana and the Chief Justice of High Court of AP have been transferred. By the said transfer, naturally, the cases pending in the Court of Special Judge for CBI cases in Hyderabad against Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and others may be delayed and monitoring by the Supreme Court in W.P (Civil) No.699 of 2016 may hamper for the time being,” he observed.

Jagan Mohan Reddy had dashed off a letter to Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde in October, alleging that the state High Court was being used to “destabilise and topple” his democratically elected government.

Weeks after this, Andhra Pradesh High Court’s Chief Justice J.K. Maheshwari was transferred to the Sikkim High Court.

Rakesh Kumar also called for transparency in the SC Collegium orders. “I am not raising any question on the transfer of Chief Justices, either of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh or of the High Court for the State of Telangana, but, at the same time, I am constrained to observe that transfer of High Court Judges or its Chief Justices may reflect some transparency and for betterment or upliftment of the administration of justice. After all, they are also holding Constitutional posts like members of Supreme Court Collegium,” he observed.

Rakesh Kumar also attacked Jagan Mohan Reddy, saying he got “very disturbing” information about him. He stated that he Googled to know about the cases against the Chief Minister. “Till the publication of the letter of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, I was not having much information about him. But, immediately thereafter, I became curious to know about him. Subsequently, I was told that if I go on site Google and type only ‘Qaidi No 6093’, I can get information. Accordingly, I did the same thing and thereafter I got very disturbing information,” he observed.

He also mentioned how the police filed closure reports in more than seven cases pending against the Chief Minister, a day after the Supreme Court passed a judgment to fast-track cases against legislators. He said the present Chief Minister is accused in more than 30 cases, of which 10 are registered by the CBI in which charge sheets have been filed long ago.

Justice Kumar also attached several articles about the CBI cases against the Chief Minister to his order, and gave details of all the CBI and Enforcement Directorate cases against him.

Justice Kumar took charge as the Andhra Pradesh High Court judge on November 8, 2019. Before being transferred here, he was serving as the judge of the Patna High Court, and had then alleged instances of corruption in higher judiciary. His statement was taken notice of by the Supreme Court Collegium, and he was subsequently shifted to Andhra Pradesh High Court.

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4 contacts of UK returnees to Andhra test Covid positive

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4 contacts of UK returnees to Andhra test Covid positive

Six returnees from the UK to Andhra Pradesh and four of their contacts have so far tested positive for Covid-19, health officials said on Sunday.

In all 1,216 people from the UK returned to Andhra Pradesh and of them 1,187 were traced. Efforts were on to trace the remaining 29.

A total of 1,162 returnees were in quarantine. Six of the returnees found infected by coronavirus. They include two from Guntur district and one each from East Godavari, Krishna, Anantapur and Nellore districts.

Officials also traced 3,282 contacts of UK returnees and sent their samples for testing. Four of the contacts have tested positive. While three are from Guntur district, one person is from Nellore.

The samples of those tested positive were sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) for genome sequencing to find out if they are infected by the new strain of the virus found in the UK. “We have not yet received the reports,” said an official.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh on Sunday reported 349 new Covid cases, pushing the state’s tally to 8,81,061.

One person succumbed to the virus during the last 24 hours. With this, the death toll rose to 7,094.

According to state command control room, 422 people recovered from the virus during the last 24 hours ending 10 a.m. on Sunday. The cumulative recoveries mounted to 8,70,342.

The number of active cases dropped further to 3,625.

During the last 24 hours, 46,386 tests were conducted. With this, the total number of tests conducted so far rose to 1,16,20,503. Tests per million ratio in the state increased to 2,17,612

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Jagan desperately using caste to crush Amaravati

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Jagan desperately using caste to crush Amaravati

The ongoing litigations in the courts have created enough obstacles for AP Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s grand plan to shift Capital City from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam. His Government has faced strictures and cautionary warnings against taking any hasty steps with respect to the Capital shifting. But, still, the CM has been gaining upper hand in the field level by slowly shifting Capital City offices and infrastructure one by one to Vizag.
Though the Jagan regime was facing adverse orders in the courts, it was somehow pushing ahead with its controversial decisions through protracted litigations. Amid this, Jagan Reddy obviously adopted a 3-pronged strategy to crush and kill Amaravati. Firstly, the protracted litigations will continue in a wide variety of ways. This will help in creating confusion among the opponents and drain out their time and energy eventually.
Secondly, Capital City offices would be shifted to Vizag under the cover of those court litigations. Thirdly, Jagan Reddy has started using the caste factor on a larger scale than before to suppress the voice of the Opposition, the TDP and the Amaravati farmers. At every forum and at every given chance, the Chief Minister is repeatedly saying these days a Capital should represent all castes and religions. His indirect references to Amaravati as a Capital meant for one caste had created much impact initially. Only time will tell whether Jagan’s caste battle would bring victory or not eventually.

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Naidu offers to quit politics if Jagan holds referendum

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Naidu offers to quit politics if Jagan holds referendum

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu challenged Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy to withdraw his 3 Capitals or go for a referendum seeking public opinion on Amaravati as the only Capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Naidu offered to quit politics forever if Jagan Reddy’s 3 Capitals plan received public sympathy or support from any section of society in the State. Amaravati is located at a central point in AP with six districts and 12 parliamentary constituencies on one side and another six districts and 12 parliamentary constituencies on the other side.
The TDP chief addressed the ‘Jana Bheri’ public meeting organised by Amaravati Parirakshana JAC in the Capital City area. Even the media surveys witnessed 80 percent respondents giving their choice for Amaravati. Whereas, the Chief Minister was going ahead with his dangerous 3 cards game with the farmers who sacrificed over 34,000 acres of their ancestral lands. Without any credibility, Jagan Reddy was now saying at the BC Sankranthi meeting that Amaravati agitation was being run by businessmen with real estate interests. In fact, the CM was himself a misguided businessman bent on destroying the Capital City and the State as well.

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu deplored that over Rs. 10,000 Cr was spent already for developing basic infrastructure in the Capital City area but the atrocious Ministers and MLAs were describing it as a desert and a burial ground. The fake Chief Minister gave kisses to the voters at the time of elections but now he was giving blow after blow to all sections of people. In course of time, Amaravati would have the potential to create a wealth of Rs. 1 lakh Cr to Rs. 2 lakh Cr for the people of the entire state. No sane person would take the decision to shift Capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam.

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It’s a real estate agitation: Jagan on Amaravati stir

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It’s a real estate agitation: Jagan on Amaravati stir

Once again, AP Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy launched a scathing attack on the Amaravati agitation. His attack came on a day when Amaravati agitators were taking part in Jana Bheri public meeting to mark one year of their protests. CM Jagan called Amaravati women just real estate women and that only real estate businessmen were running the agitation.
The CM asserted that much before it was formally announced, a decision was taken to develop Amaravati as Capital. Then, they bought lands in the Capital region under benami names. With the help of insider trading, they bought Amaravati lands at far cheaper rates.
Mr. Jagan Reddy said that now, the agitation was being carried out only because all those who bought lands were now worried about the fall in the land rates there. Chandrababu Naidu was thinking with a bad mind and making baseless allegations against the Government.
The Chief Minister addressed a BC Sankranthi public meeting at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium in Vijayawada. It was held as a show of strength to counter the Jana Bheri of Amaravati agitators. Jagan Reddy said that it was for the first time in the entire country that such a meeting was held for the BCs.

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Jagan Govt controls Amaravati Jana Bheri with iron hand

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Jagan Govt controls Amaravati Jana Bheri with iron hand

The AP police started making state wide arrests of the Amaravati agitators and the Opposition leaders. The arrests were being made to prevent them from taking part in the Jana Bheri public meeting. The meeting is being held today at Rayapudi village in Amaravati area. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu is also addressing the meeting, along with Congress AP President S. Sailjanath and the leaders of the Left parties.

The police began house arrests of the TDP leaders from yesterday night itself. Former Ministers Nimmakayala Chinarajappa, Nakka Ananda Babu, former MLAs Kuna Ravi Kumar, Nallimilli Ramakrishna Reddy, Bandaru Satyananda Rao and scores of others were placed under arrest.

Guntur SP Visal Gunni said that they had given permission to the Jana Bheri but traffic restrictions were imposed on the roads leading to the venue. The Krishna river Karakatta road would be restricted and entry would be given only for the vehicles of the judges.

The Amaravati JAC leaders warned of serious action if the Government continued to control their agitation with an iron hand. It was unfortunate that the Government gave permission but not allowing the agitators to take part in the public meeting.

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Central Govt Institutions will continue in Amaravati: Veerraju

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Central Govt Institutions will continue in Amaravati: Veerraju

BJP leaders are speaking in different voices from different places on the fate of Amaravati Capital City. It almost became a child’s play for them. More or less, the BJP is fishing in the troubled waters in Andhra Pradesh. GVL Narasimha Rao says the State Government has a right to shift Capital City.

Now, BJP AP President Somu Veerraju says the Capital City of AP will continue to be in Amaravati. But, he has put a condition for that, which is that the BJP would have to come to power in the State. Only the BJP can continue Amaravati as the one and only Capital City. Obviously, Veerraju’s comment means that either the BJP should retain Amaravati or Jagan Reddy may destroy Amaravati. There would be only two options left for the people of the State.

Interestingly, Veerraju made these comments at the meeting of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a front organisation of the BJP, held in Tulluru village in Amaravati city. He went on to say that once voted to power, the BJP would create a marvellous city out of Amaravati as per the aspirations of the people. Also, the BJP would develop the farmers’ plots with Rs. 2,000 Cr. Jagan Reddy tried to give away these plots to the poor people under the free house sites programme.

Veerraju said that the Central Government Institutions would remain in Amaravati regardless of Jagan’s 3 Capitals. Obviously, as per the BJP’s line, the President would not approve of the YCP’s decision to shift the High Court to Kurnool.

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SC stays media gag order in Amaravati land scam case

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SC stays media gag order in Amaravati land scam case

The Jaganmohan Reddy Government got a huge relief from the Supreme Court on the media gag order relating to former Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas case. The SC issued a stay order on the media gag order issued earlier by the High Court of Andhra Pradesh. The SC bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan stayed the gag order and also issued notices to the respondents. The next hearing was posted for January next year. At the same time, the SC did not interfere with the overall stay order issued by the High Court on the investigation into the charges of land scams in Amaravati. The AP government’s advocate argued in the Supreme Court that though only Dammalapati Srinivas asked for relief in the case, the High Court has applied its order for over 13 respondents. The orders were issued without even the petitioner asking for the same. The State Government’s advocate told the court that a huge corruption scam took place in the Amaravati lands. Transactions on land property were done through benamis. The Government has also written a letter for ordering a CBI probe into the land scam. The AP Government’s advocate asked what was the problem for Dammalapati Srinivas if the land scam was probed.

Out of political ill will, litigation cases were being filed against the AP Chief Minister and his Government in each and every issue. The media gag order was not permissible. There were definite conditions for issuing such an order as was evident from the Sahara case. Dammalapati’s advocates argued that a Capital decision was not a secret thing and all people had come to know about this. Nobody can be prevented from buying lands in the Capital.

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HC pulls up Jagan govt on Amaravati

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HC pulls up Jagan govt on Amaravati

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has once again frowned up the state government over the Amaravati capital issue.

Hearing a petition, the High Court expressed its displeasure and anger over the state government’s attitude in not submitting the details on the expenditure spent on Amaravati capital city. The court asked why the government has failed to submit a report on the funds spent on the construction of capital city at Amaravati. The court sought to know how much funds were spent, how many buildings were completed, and at what stage the construction was stopped.

The court ordered the state government to submit a full report on the funds spent on Amaravati construction by November 30. The court warned that it will be forced to summon the state Accountant General if full report was not submitted on the entire funds so far spent on the construction of Amaravati Capital city.

The court also questioned the government on the scrapping of Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) and constituting Amaravati Metropolitan Region Development Authority (AMRDA) in its place. The court said G N Rao, BCG and the high-power committees have not recommended the scrapping of CRDA.

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AP High Court tells Govt to abide by Aswini Dutt deal

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AP High Court tells Govt to abide by Aswini Dutt deal

Noted Telugu Film Producer Aswini Dut is making an unrelenting legal battle against the Jaganmohan Reddy Government on the issue of his Gannavaram lands. The High Court of Andhra Pradesh has taken up hearing on his petition for a suitable compensation for his lands. Aswini Dut’s lawyer has told the court that alternative land given in Amaravati Capital is unacceptable to them since the Government is shifting the Executive Capital out of Amaravati. In such a case, Aswini Dut would have to lose heavily because of his gesture to hand over his Gannavaram lands for the airport expansion.

After hearing both sides, the High Court told the Government that it would have to abide by the agreement signed with Mr. Dut at the time of land acquisition. As per the agreement, the director should be given compensatory land in Amaravati Capital. But, after the change in the Government, Amaravati is not going to be the one and only Capital. Moreover, Executive Capital, which is the real Capital, will be shifted to Visakhapatnam. In such a scenario, Amaravati lands would not have any value. Hence, it would amount to breach of trust on the part of the Government.

The Government asked for some time to file its counter. Making it clear that the agreements cannot be breached, the court postponed the hearing for November 17.
Legal circles say that the court would express similar opinions in respect of the 29,000 farmers who gaver their ancestral lands for Amaravati construction. Obviously, the Jagan regime would have to face a series of historic legal battles before it can shift Capital out of Amaravati.

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Amaravati dream shattered 5 years after Modi laid foundation stone

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Amaravati dream shattered 5 years after Modi laid foundation stone

Exactly five years ago on October 22, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the capital city of Amaravati at a grand function at Uddhandrayunipalem in Guntur district.

The Prime Minister had brought soil from the parliament complex and water from the Yamuna for new capital in Amaravati, while Chandrababu Naidu sprinkled the soil and water from a helicopter on the new capital to be, an ultra-modern city spread over 54,000 acres that aspired to be one of the best in the world.

Later, the PM had assured complete support for the development of new state and capital with the reliefs as promised in the AP Reorganisation Act, which includes special assistance to the state. The then Naidu government had received about Rs 1,850 crore as special assistance from the central government for capital development in Amaravati.

When Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party president Jagan Mohan Reddy was in the opposition he had vouched his support for declaring centrally-located Amaravati as the state capital, and suggested to Naidu that at least 30,000 acres of land would be required to establish a capital city.

Naidu convinced farmers to part with their land for the larger interests of Andhra Pradesh. Farmers from 29 villages had come forward to give more than 33,000 acres of land under land pooling scheme.

The farmers signed an agreement with the then AP Capital Region Development Authority. The farmers were promised Rs 50,000 annuity per acre with annual hike of 10 per cent, 1,000 square yards of commercial plots and 250 square yards of residential plots for every acre of cultivable land pooled.

Naidu as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh had signed memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with industries for more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore investments. Soon after riding to power with a massive mandate, Jagan took a complete U-turn on Amaravati and cancelled all the agreements the previous TDP government had entered into several multi-national companies.

The Jagan’s government had cancelled infra projects worth more than Rs 50,000 crore, cancelled a land allotment of 13.83 acres to the UAE-based LuLu Group, intended to develop a shopping mall and convention hall in Visakhapatnam, cancelled the contract for the Rs 3,216-crore Polavaram Hydel project, cancelled an Amaravati Capital City Startup Area project given to a consortium of Singapore-based companies, Ascendas-Singbridge and Sembcorp Development Ltd.

Jagan had accused Naidu of making Rs 1 lakh crore out of Amaravati by letting his ‘benamis’ buy large tracts of land in the area before the announcement of capital.. However, the Jagan government had failed to come up with hard evidence to prove that there were any large-scale transactions.

On December 17, the Jaganmohan Reddy government announced that Andhra Pradesh would have three capitals instead of one on the South African model, arguing that this will lead to development across regions.

Jagan announced Visakhapatnam as executive capital, Amaravati as legislative capital, and Kurnool as judicial capital. Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan gave his assent to the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Bill 2020 on July 31.

Naidu’s ambitious plans and farmers aspirations came crashing down. Worried over their future, the farmers and their families have now taken to the streets. Farmers, who have given their land for development of Amaravati as the state capital, have been on a protest for more than 300 days, one of the longest and peaceful agitations, opposing the YSR Congress Party government’s move to relocate Amaravati capital city to Vizag.

As the agitation crossed 300 days, the protest exposed not just the duplicity of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party, but also the BJP. The opposition parties, mainly the TDP and Communist parties have strongly supported the farmers, the BJP has been playing double games.

The state and central leaders of BJP have taken conflicting positions and standpoint on Amaravati and the three-capital plan of the Jagan Mohan Reddy government. The state BJP leaders have not overtly opposed to abandoning Amaravati as capital city, the central BJP government filed in an affidavit in the High Court that it has no role to play on the issue of the location of the capital city and it was for the state government to decide.

The central government has been indulging in shadow boxing even as the Amaravati farmers’ Joint Action Committee, a host of other petitioners and the state government are fighting a legal battle in the Andhra Pradesh High Court. While TDP and other Opposition parties have extended support to the agitating farmers, the BJP has stayed away from the protests exposing its dual stand on Amaravati.

The BJP’s double standards have been thoroughly exposed more than the YSRCP five years after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the capital city of Amaravati.

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Ready to seek fresh vote on Amaravati: Tammineni Sitharam

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Ready to seek fresh vote on Amaravati: Tammineni Sitharam

Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitharam threw back the Opposition challenge that the YSRCP government is ready to seek a fresh vote on Amaravati as a referendum.

YSRCP’s own Lok Sabha MP Raghurama Krisnam Raju on Monday challenged his government to go for a fresh ballot to see if its three-capital idea has public support. Raju had challenged the Jagan government that he is willing to quit the party if an election is held with Amaravati as referendum.

Raju, who revolted against his own party by lodging a complaint with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla citing threat to life from his party’s leaders, reiterated that he would win the elections with a thumping majority if elections were to be held with Amaravati as referendum.

“Let the Jagan government take up a referendum. I will quit politics if the public verdict in the referendum goes against the capital city at Amaravati. Or, let Jagan dissolve the government and go for fresh elections on the issue of shifting the capital city away from Amaravati. Why are you scared. If you think you will win the polls, accept Amaravati as a referendum.”

The Opposition parties, mainly the TDP, and the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi joint action committee, too had challenged the Jagan Mohan Reddy government to dissolve the Assembly and seek public referendum with capital as the agenda.

Talking to media persons, Tammineni Sitharam said the government is ready to accept the challenge to seek a fresh vote with Amaravati as referendum. “We want the capital to be in Vizag, the opposition parties want the capital to remain in Amaravati. In such a scenario, let there be a referendum. There is nothing to fear. We will get to know if there is public support for Amaravati to be the capital city,” he said.

Further, Sitharam recalled that TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao had quit the Lok Sabha over the separate statehood and sought a referendum on Telangana. “There is nothing wrong in seeking a fresh vote,” Sitharam added.

The High Court had recently taken serious objection to the comments made by Tammineni Sitaram against the judges and courts. A Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha activist filed a petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court stating that Tammineni Sitaram’s comments that the judiciary was interfering in the policy decisions of the state government will undermine the courts and lower the dignity of the judges.

Reacting to a series of recent pronouncements by the High Court against the state government’s policy decisions, Sitaram commented that where was the need for the people to elect MLAs and MPs if the courts can decide what the state government should do. “What is the purpose of elections? It appears that the judges want to run the affairs of the government. Can the state be ruled from court halls? If that is the case, is there a need to elect a chief minister, MLAs or MPs,” he had questioned. The AP High Court ordered a CBI probe into anti-judiciary remarks made by YSRCP leaders, including Tammineni Sitaram, Deputy Chief Minister Narayana Swamy, MPs V Vijayasai Reddy, Nandigam Suresh and former MLA A Krishna Mohan.

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300 days farmers protest: Lokesh to visit Amaravati villages

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300 days farmers protest: Lokesh to visit Amaravati villages

As the farmers’ agitation completed 300 days, TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh will be visiting villages in Amaravati on Monday.

Lokesh will be visiting Penumaka, Yerraballam, Krishnapalam, Tulluru and Dondapandi. Subsequently, Lokesh will interact with the farmers. His visit to the capital city comes in the wake of TDP president and former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu calling upon the party leaders and cadre all over the State to actively take part in the protests as part of 300 days of Amaravati agitation a grand success.

In line with the party’s firm stand on Amaravati as the capital city, Lokesh will be holding solidarity meetings with the farmers who gave 34,000 acres of land for the capital with trust in the YSRCP government. Lokesh had severely criticized Jagan’s move to create three capitals. He slammed Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy stating that he had turned Amaravati into a burial ground. He had also pointed out that at least 82 farmers ended their lives for the cause of Amaravati as the capital city.

Capital buildings were already constructed with a cost of Rs 10,000 crore during the previous TDP regime. The Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi has organized several protest programmes and massive rallies on Sunday to mark the completion of 300 days of agitation. Protest demonstrations will be held across mandal revenue offices and assembly constituencies on Monday.

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Jagan may raise Amaravati issue with Modi

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Jagan may raise Amaravati issue with Modi

Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday at around 10.40 am.

Jagan had left for New Delhi along with a team of MPs and ministers to meet central ministers, including Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

The Chief Minister is likely to discuss with the PM the current political situation in Andhra Pradesh and also appeal to Modi for an early release of central funds that are due to the state. Jagan will seek the pending 14th Finance Commission grants for local bodies amounting to Rs 2,253 crore, GST compensation dues of Rs 3,622 crore, Polavaram dues of Rs 4,006 crore among others. Jagan is likely to request the PM to order a CBI probe investigation into the alleged Amaravati land and Fibernet scandals and the recent Antarvedi chariot fire incident. The Chief Minister is likely to discuss with the PM about various pending projects and seek the central government support in execution of the projects. Most importantly, the CM is likely to apprise Modi on the three capitals issue, the shifting of capital from Amaravati to Vizag.

Jagan is likely to meet Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman to appeal for early release of central funds that are due to the state.

After meeting the PM, Jagan will be attending the Apex Council meeting with Gajendra Singh Shekhawat via video-conference from Delhi. Jagan had instructed the water department officials and respective ministries to fiercely argue in favour of Andhra Pradesh over the water-sharing dispute with Telangana. Jagan is accompanied by top officials from the Water Resources department to present the government’s arguments on water sharing with Telangana. The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to push for notification of the jurisdiction of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB)and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) in the second Apex Council meeting so that operational control of all projects will be under the boards’ control.

Telangana Chief Minister last week had written to Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat accusing the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) constituted for water sharing between the two states of being biased against Telangana and favouring Andhra Pradesh. The Telangana government is opposing AP’s move to expand the capacity Pothireddypadu head regulator on the Srisailam reservoir to draw 80,000 cusecs of water from the Krishna river to Pennar basin.

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Amaravati Parirakshana JAC takes capitals issue to capital

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Amaravati Parirakshana JAC takes capitals issue to capital

Members of the Amaravati Parirakshana Joint Action Committee (JAC) took the three capitals issue to the capital.

A 14-member team of Amaravati Parirakshana JAC who left to Delhi on Friday will meet central ministers and probably Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise them of the injustice being meted out to them in the name of three capitals for the state.

The 14-member team of Amaravati Parirakshana JAC is led A Siva Reddy. The JAC members staged a ‘silent demonstration’ at Raj Ghat on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. In a symbolic gesture, the JAC submitted a memorandum to the statue of Gandhiji. The JAC members include Siva Reddy, Tirupati Rao, Vangaveeti Radhakrishna. The leaders appealed to the central leaders to stop the Andhra Pradesh government from going ahead with its three capital theory and ‘save’ the Legislative Council.

On February 7 this year, the JAC leaders had met President Ram Nath Kovind and submitted a representation opposing the proposed three capitals to Andhra Pradesh and urged the President to intervene in announcing Amaravati as the sole capital of the state. The JAC is hoping to get an audience with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to present their case before them over the Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions and the CRDA Repeal Acts.

The agitation against shifting the capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam completed 288 days.
The central BJP leadership had already made its stand clear on Amaravati stating that it is a state subject and that the central government has no role to play in it. The central leadership also filed its counter affidavit in the High Court on its stand over the three capitals issue. The union government stated that the Andhra Pradesh government passed the two crucial Bills as per the constitutional and legal provisions. The BJP also clarified that the central government will not intervene in the issue of the capital and had cleared the air that Governor Bishwabhusan Harichandan discharged his duties as per the constitutional provisions.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Jagan Govt’s plan for ‘Mega Township’ in Amaravati lands

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Jagan Govt’s plan for ‘Mega Township’ in Amaravati lands

The YCP Government was floating different ideas on the future of lands in the Amaravati Capital City area in a very hilarious way. First, the ruling party Ministers said Amaravati was unfit for Capital because it was a low lying area. Later, they described it as a burial ground not fit for developing a Capital. They made plans to give house sites to thousands of poor families in the lands that were pooled from the Amaravati farmers for developing a global city.

Now, the Jagan regime raised curtains on a new gameplan. This is to develop a Mega Township in Amaravati lands so that housing plots could be given to the farmers who gave their ancestral lands for the Capital City project. Also, persons like film producer Aswini Dutt and actor Krishnam Raju could be given their promised compensation in the form of house sites in Amaravati Capital.

Usually, YCP Minister Botsa Satyanarayana, MLA Challa Ramakrishna Reddy and others would talk about new ideas. This time, pro-YCP MLA Vallabhaneni Vamsi was bringing up the Township idea forward.

Vamsi is advising farmers to accept housing plots in Township so that their problem would be solved. The question is how such impractical and unscientific ideas could be brought forth. Who would stay in such a Mega Township in a place which would not have the promised Secretariat, Assembly, Raj Bhavan? Of course, it will serve a purpose which is to irritate and humiliate Amaravati farmers and the TDP.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

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