VIJAYAWADA: In a major relief for YS Jaganmohan Reddy government, the Centre on Tuesday distanced itself from the row over three capitals raging in Andhra Pradesh, saying that it was for a state to decide where it wants to build a capital.
The Centre’s stand was stated by Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai in the Lok Sabha in a written reply to a question raised by TDP’s Jayadev Galla.
The minister gave a single reply to five questions raised by Galla. The MP had asked the minister whether the government had taken note of the recent decision taken by CM Jaganmohan Reddy to set up three capitals, if so, the reaction of the government, the manner in which the move was likely to help the state and the people and whether the government would advise the state not to resort to such decisions which would not only vitiate the investment climate but would also be a great loss to thousands of farmers who gave their land for construction of the capital in Amaravati.
Equally significant was the minister’s statement that public order and police were state subjects and the Centre had only limited role when TDP’s Kesineni Srinivas raised a question on the possibility of security forces being sent to the state to address law and order problem. Rai said: “Public order and police are state subjects as per Schedule VII of the Constitution and the state government is primarily responsible for maintenance of law and order and to take action against the culprits as per law.”
The MP said that there were massive protests in the state against the proposal to shift the capital from Amaravati. He claimed that protesting women were subjected to brutality and wanted to know whether the state government had sent any request to the Centre for additional security forces or whether the central government had planned any intervention in the matter.
Rai said that the Centre had not received any request from the state for additional forces to maintain law and order.
In a related development, the AP CM on Tuesday met a group of farmers from four villages in Mangalagiri assembly constituency that form part of Amaravati region, even as the Amaravati Joint Action Committee took its fight to New Delhi where they met Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu urging him to intervene.
The Centre’s stand was stated by Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai in the Lok Sabha in a written reply to a question raised by TDP’s Jayadev Galla.
The minister gave a single reply to five questions raised by Galla. The MP had asked the minister whether the government had taken note of the recent decision taken by CM Jaganmohan Reddy to set up three capitals, if so, the reaction of the government, the manner in which the move was likely to help the state and the people and whether the government would advise the state not to resort to such decisions which would not only vitiate the investment climate but would also be a great loss to thousands of farmers who gave their land for construction of the capital in Amaravati.
Equally significant was the minister’s statement that public order and police were state subjects and the Centre had only limited role when TDP’s Kesineni Srinivas raised a question on the possibility of security forces being sent to the state to address law and order problem. Rai said: “Public order and police are state subjects as per Schedule VII of the Constitution and the state government is primarily responsible for maintenance of law and order and to take action against the culprits as per law.”
The MP said that there were massive protests in the state against the proposal to shift the capital from Amaravati. He claimed that protesting women were subjected to brutality and wanted to know whether the state government had sent any request to the Centre for additional security forces or whether the central government had planned any intervention in the matter.
Rai said that the Centre had not received any request from the state for additional forces to maintain law and order.
In a related development, the AP CM on Tuesday met a group of farmers from four villages in Mangalagiri assembly constituency that form part of Amaravati region, even as the Amaravati Joint Action Committee took its fight to New Delhi where they met Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu urging him to intervene.
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