Lawyers from the Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh continued to protest for their demand of setting up the state's High Court away from its capital of Amaravati.
Several advocates sat on a day-long fast on Saturday, extending support to another advocate who decided to fast unto death.
Speaking at the protest venue in Anantapur, Advocate J Raja Reddy said, "The government should be happy that we are trying to help it by mounting pressure on the Union Government to deliver. But it is trying to thwart our attempts."
This development came even as a state-appointed group of five judges visited the campus of Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur, and examined the area if any buildings could host the temporary High Court of the state.
They also examined other structures in Krishna and Guntur districts.
Last month, lawyers from the Rayalaseema High Court Sadhana Samithi met acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan of the Hyderabad High Court and urged him to consider setting up the Andhra Pradesh HC in the Rayalaseema region.
Stating that injustice has been done to the region, the lawyers submitted their representation.
The Rayalaseema region comprises four districts – Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittoor. The region has several drought-prone areas and witnesses farmer suicides annually.
After the state’s bifurcation in 2014 for the creation of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh has been building its upcoming capital Amaravati on the banks of the Krishna River, with its latest target being the location of the High Court building.
According to reports, Chief Minister Naidu has asked for building suggestions by the end of January, so that modifications to the building can be made by April and the court itself can begin functioning by June this year.
However, while Naidu’s government has been busy identifying buildings in Vijayawada and in the capital area, others have strongly opposed this move.
When Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated in 2014, the locals in Rayalaseema saw this as a chance to develop their region. However, CM Naidu’s focus on the Krishna and Godavari delta regions has irked many.
Many are appealing to Naidu to not repeat his ‘mistake’ of developing a single region between Vijayawada and Guntur while ignoring the rest of the state.