Tirupati: Protests erupt against rejig proposal

Tirupati: Opposition parties as well as various sections in Tirupati are strongly opposing the name of the proposed Tirupati district as 'Sri Balaji' and Nagari constituency people want them to be merged in Tirupati district instead of Chittoor. Protests have been going on in Madanapalle to make it the district headquarters.

Those opposing the name of 'Sri Balaji' district are arguing that the word 'Balaji' is not in use here and it was popular in north India. TDP leaders G Narasimha Yadav, M Sugunamma, Congress leader P Naveen Kumar Reddy, Jana Sena leader Kiran Royal and several leaders have been demanding to name the new district as Tirupati district or Sri Vari district or Venkateswara district.

However, some others argue that already there has been a Balaji registration district in Tirupati for the past several years and it was former chief minister N T Rama Rao's intention to make it 'Sri Balaji' district. They say that the name is not an issue at all.

Meanwhile, resentment could be seen in Gudur constituency as well over merging it in Tirupati district.

Several mandals in Srikalahasti and Satyavedu constituencies will go into the purview of Naidupet revenue division under the new setup which was being opposed by the people in these two segments. They were now under Tirupati revenue division.

There was a demand from these two segments to make Srikalahasti as the revenue division which can be nearer to Venkatagiri also. There were also demands from Nagari constituency to include the segment in Tirupati district.

Several parts of the constituency, including Vadamalapet, etc., are within 25 km from Tirupati and the people of the constituency come to Tirupati only for any work and are not connected to Chittoor. They want the government to reconsider its decision. TDP leaders Gali Bhanu Prakash, Pulivarthi Nani and even a section of the ruling party have been demanding this and getting ready for an agitation.

The people of the Nagari constituency are recalling that the transactions in sub-registrar offices in Puttur and Nagari are being carried out under the name of 'Balaji Registration district' of Tirupati only. They say that the distance between Puttur and Tirupati is 35 km while it is 70 km between Puttur and Chittoor. Even Vedurukuppam mandal residents of GD Nellore constituency want the mandal to be brought under Tirupati district instead of Chittoor district.

On the other hand, the demand for Madanapalle district has been getting louder. Protest activities have been going on there in which TDP and Congress are participating along with Madanapalle Jilla Sadhana JAC.

The leaders want to chalk out an action plan to further intensify their stir. They were saying that Madanapalle has all amenities to become a district headquarters and the people have been fighting for nearly 600 days. The bid to lay seize MP's residence on Friday by the activists was foiled by the police.

A rasta roko and half-naked protest were also organised by JAC leaders, including PTM Siva Prasad, B Srichandu, K Divakar Rao and others at Tomato market yard due to which vehicular movement came to a standstill for almost one and half hours. Police have arrested the activists and restore the traffic.