The police set up barbed wires and fencings to block protesters and farmers from reaching AP Secretariat in Amaravati Capital City where Jagan Cabinet is holding its most controversial meeting today. Almost, an unannounced curfew atmosphere is prevailing in Capital villages. Protesters pelted stones and broke window panes of SRM University bus. Police made mike announcements in Capital villages warning of serious action for violations. Only Section 144 is imposed but the police went around and enforced closure of all shops and offices in the capital area. Vegetables, milk and medical shops were also closed in nearby villages of Secretariat. Police asked the shoppers only after further announcement. Anti-Naxal squad and Special Police forces came to Amaravati in huge numbers.

Indications are that police will ease restrictions only the Cabinet meeting is over and CM Jagan Reddy leaves Amaravati Capital. Water cannons and tear gas squads are also made ready. Jagan is holding Cabinet meet at Secretariat boldly to make an impression that his government is not afraid of farmers agitation. Despite prohibitory orders, farmers are gathering on the roads. BJP AP President Kanna Laxminarayana is staging a silent deeksha at Uddandarayunipalem where PM Modi laid foundation stone for Amaravati Capital City. There is a rising support to Amaravati farmers. Capital JAC is holding protests in Vijayawada, Guntur, Mangalagiri and other towns in South Coastal Andhra.

General life is totally paralysed in the Amaravati Capital City villages for the fifth day continuously. Farmers are coming out on the roads to continue their protests against Capital shifting. Their family members, women, students and children are also actively participating in the protests. Because of police harassment, the farmers have decided to continue dharnas on the roads under the sun. The police are not allowing shamianas. The farmers say that the police are acting like YCP activists. The police are even threatening the tent house owners not to give shamianas to farmers. Large police force is deployed in villages.

Vanta Vaarpu (cooking and eating on the road) is being held at Uddandarayunipalem where PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Amaravati Capital City. Some farmers are making half-naked protests. They are protesting with garlands made of chappals and torn clothes. Farmers have decided to continue their agitation till CM Jaganmohan Reddy withdraws his 3 Capitals statement. They say that they will not be frightened by the police cases against protesting farmers. The farmers say that they have unitedly removed the YCP colours from their Panchayat offices. They dared the police to file cases against all the 35,000 farmers in Amaravati villages and also their families.

A shutdown was underway on Thursday as huge protests rocked the region against the Andhra Pradesh government’s proposal to develop three state capitals here.

Farmers and other villagers, who had given their lands for development of Amaravati as the state capital, took to the streets in 29 villages, demanding YSR Congress Party government to drop its proposal to develop Visakhapatnam and Kurnool as two other state capitals.

Protestors including, women blocked the roads including the road leading towards State Secretariat in Velagapudi. The Secretariat employees had to use an alternate route to reach their offices.

Holding placards and raising anti-government slogans, the villagers took out rallies since early morning, demanding that Amaravati be developed as the only capital. Shops and business establishments remained closed.

Additional police forces were deployed in all villages to prevent any untoward incident. Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders also joined the protestors at several places.

Farmers, who had given 33,000 acres of land for Amaravati, fear that the development of three state capitals would hit hard their interests. “We had given our lands, hoping for a better future for our children. The government had promised to develop our lands and give them back. Now all our hopes had dashed by this decision,” said a protestor.

Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had told the State Assembly on Tuesday that the state may have three capitals. He said while Amaravati could serve as legislative capital, Visakahpatnam could be developed as executive capital and Kurnool as judicial capital.

The ruling YCP leaders attacked the TDP leaders’ tour in Amaravati Capital. They pelted stones and broke window panes of Chandrababu Naidu bus. Following this, mild tension prevailed at the four-lane seed axis highway that connects Amaravati to the Chennai-Kolkata national highway. Wearing black flags, the YCP leaders raised slogans like ‘Naidu Go Back’. The local police officers remainde mute spectators to the whole YCP protest show. YCP leaders left the place after TDP followers and local villagers gathered there in larger numbers.

Amaravati Capital farmers also joined the TDP leaders in protesting against the YCP. Naidu condemned the violent attitude of YCP leaders. Speaking to the media, Naidu said that the narrow mindedness of CM Jaganmohan Reddy has destroyed not just Amaravati but the whole financial situation in Andhra Pradesh. The ruling party is wickedly insulting the very farmers who have sacrificed their ancestral properties for the sake of constructing AP Capital. Naidu visited Praja Vedika which was partially demolished by the YCP. Men, women and young people from Amaravati villages gave a warm welcome to Naidu