AP HC Permits Amaravati Farmers Mahapadyatra Organised On Sep 12

In a relief to Amaravati farmers, the Andhra Pradesh High Court (HC) allowed Mahapadayatra, organised by the farmers committee and Joint Action Committee (JAC) on the 12th of September.

During the court hearing on the 9th of September, Friday, the HC bench reviewed the petitions, seeking permission to conduct the padayatra, from Amaravati to Arasavalli in the Srikakulam district.   Notably, the petition was filed after the Andhra Pradesh Police denied permission to conduct the yatra, citing law and order situation in the State.

However, the Andhra Pradesh High Court gave permission, following which the protesting farmers expressed happiness and continued with their arrangements for the padayatra.

Moreover, the High Court directed the police to allow the padayatra with reasonable restrictions. 

Meanwhile, the Amaravati farmers and Parirakshana Samithi leaders said that Mahapadayatra would be taken out from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD’s) Sri Venkateswara Temple in Venkatapalem of the Amaravati region at 5:30 A.M., on the 12th of September.  The Mahapadayatra would conclude at Arasavalli Suryanarayana Swamy temple in the Srikakulam district covering 900 km in 60 days. 

Joined by the people of Amaravati, the Amaravati Maha Padayatra was organised by the Amaravati Conservation Committee and the Capital United Action Committee. The padayatra started in against the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) Government, which proposed three state capital, instead of Amaravati.  

The Amaravati capital issue is a problem for the farmers of 28 villages who sacrificed their lands.  In 2014, after Andhra Pradesh and Telangana emerged as two independent states, villagers and farmers of Amaravati gave their lands to the then ruling Government, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP,) for the development of Amaravati as the Andhra Pradesh Capital.

However, in December 2019, the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP,) the government now in power, proposed three capitals (Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Kurnool) for Andhra Pradesh.