Even as the protest by Amaravati farmers reached the 47th day on Sunday, a delegation of farmers led by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi Joint Action Committee (JAC) took the ongoing battle to prevent the proposed shifting of the Executive capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam, to the capital of the nation, New Delhi.

A 16-member delegation comprising nine representatives of the JAC and seven farmers from villages in the Amaravati region, met the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy in the evening, urging the Centre to intervene and prevail upon the Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh not to shift the capital from Amaravati.

“Mr. Kishan Reddy said that the Centre had not received any official communication from the Jagan government in Andhra Pradesh on the proposed three-capital formula and that the Bharatiya Janata Party would act at the right time,” said JAC member Dr. Nanda Kishore, from Delhi.

He said Mr. Kishan Reddy had reiterated that the BJP had made its stand on the issue clear by stating that it was in favour of Amaravati continuing as the capital of the residual State of Andhra Pradesh.

Narrate woes

Dr. Nanda Kishore said the farmers had explained to the Central Minister that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government was indifferent to their pain and anguish. They had told him that even women and children had for the first time hit the streets as implementation of the government plans would push their future into darkness.

“Realising that our future is at stake, we have come on to the roads pleading with the government to consider the plight of farmers who have given their lands for the future of the State. Contrary to Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s claims that the Centre is kept in the loop on his three-capital plan, the Union Minister has clearly denied having received any official communication to this effect,” said Snehalatha Reddy, a native of Peddaparimi village under Thullur panchayat, whose family has given 16 acres of land to the government.

Plan to meet Modi

On Monday, the delegation plans to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman and others. “We have also sought the appointment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. We will return to the State only after meeting all the leaders who can make a difference on the capital issues,” said R.V. Swamy, president of the Vijayawada chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of India and a JAC member.

Rally

On the home front, meanwhile, leaders of the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi have called for a protest rally from BRTS Road at Padavalarevu to Meesala Rajeswara Rao bridge via Madhuranagar junction and Food junction, at 4.30 p.m on Monday.