Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in order to save Amaravati Capital City from the destructive strategies of the Jaganmohan Reddy government in the State.
He told Mr. Modi that it was the duty of the Central Government to protect Amaravati in accordance with the spirit of the AP Reorganisation Act which recommended a single capital for the new residual state but not multiple capital cities. Moreover, PM Modi himself brought divine soil from the Parliament and sacred water from the Yamuna as a mark of the entire nation’s blessings during the foundation stone laying function.
The TDP chief addressed a national level webinar organised on the occasion of 200th day protests of Amaravati struggle. He stressed the need for the Central Government to consider Amaravati as a national project but not just as the problem of any one particular state or the concern of a few thousand farmers and local people. It’s the Andhra Pradesh people’s will for developing a strong and potential Capital for the state at a single place. This was evident from how many AP people from over 200 cities across the world took part in 200th day Amaravati protests.
Mr. Naidu pointed out that Central funds of Rs. 2,500 Cr have been spent in Amaravati while a total Rs. 9,500 Cr was spent in the overall project works. The Centre has promised to give more funds but the YCP Government was turning a blind ear to this obviously because of its ulterior plan to destroy Amaravati for political reasons. The AP Government was not listening to the dissenting voices from all sections of people. All political parties except the ruling YCP in the state were opposing 3 Capitals. As per the reorganisation Act, the then democratically elected government already identified the capital and there was no scope to reverse that decision anymore.
Stating that the 3 Capitals plan was destructive, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu said after coming to power, CM Jagan Reddy tried to kill Amaravati with scores of baseless allegations like it was a low-lying, food-prone place unift for being a capital city. However, the National Green Tribunal has given a clean chit. Later, YCP levelled allegations of one-caste agenda, insider trading, requirement of costly foundations for constructions. All these false charges were proved wrong even as the YCP went ahead with its ulterior plans. The agitating farmers, women and youth were ruthlessly suppressed.
The webinar was presided over by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi Chairman A. Siva Reddy. The national leaders, who addressed the meeting, included CPI national secretary D Raja, BJP senior leader D. Purandeswari, Hindu Maha Sabha president Chakrapani Maharaj, Forward Bloc secretary-general Debabrata Biswas, RSS idealogue Ratan Sharda, CPI State Secretary K. Ramakrishna, CPM State Secretary P. Madhu, Congress AP president Sailajanath, film director Aswani Dutt and other national leaders. YCP MP Raghu Ramakrishnam Raju also spoke.
