Vijayawada: GN Rao Panel report sparks protests by villagers

Vijayawada: Tension prevailed in Mandadam and other villages in capital Amaravati on Friday evening as thousands of villagers intensified their protests after the GN Rao committee submitted its report to Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy suggesting three capitals for the State and decentralisation of the development of State.

Thousands of farmers who gave their lands to the previous TDP government for construction of capital are furious over the three capitals idea mooted by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in the Assembly recently.

Since then, the farmers and thousands of villagers are unhappy and expressing anger on the present government and they have been protesting in the villages. Predicting outbursts of villagers and farmers, the police imposed orders under Section-144 and made tight security arrangements in 29 villages and main junctions in the capital region.

The report submitted by GN Rao Committee on the development of the State on Friday has added fuel to the fire. Enraged with the report and suggestions, the farmers tried to storm the Secretariat by crossing the barricades.

But, a large contingent of police present near the Secretariat thwarted the attempt made by the angry villagers and sent them back. The police managed to pacify the angry farmers and villagers. The farmers set ablaze tyres on the roads and blocked the traffic by parking their vehicles.

The irate villagers torched the flexis of the Chief Minister Y S Jagan and other leaders which were set up on main roads. Interestingly, a large number of women are also taking part in the protests.

Thousands of farmers in the capital region were shocked over the report submitted by the GN Rao Committee as it has suggested for setting up a Secretariat at Visakhapatnam and holding Assembly sessions both at Amaravati and Visakhapatnam.

Now, the farmers have lost hope that a world-class capital designed by the previous government would come up in Amaravati as the YSRCP government was planning to shift executive capital to Visakhapatnam.