YSRCP leaders, Amaravati farmers clash in Undavalli; constable injured as police disperse mob

Vijayawada: Tension prevailed at Undavalli here on Saturday after farmers in the capital region confronted YSRCP’s ‘farmers protection committee’ led by former ministers Perni Nani and Ambati Rambabu.

The farmers gathered in large numbers, opposing the visit of YSRCP functionaries to Penumaka village.The altercation broke out when the motorcade of YSRCP functionaries reached Undavalli, where capital region farmers, including women, stopped them and raised slogans, asking them to ‘go back’. They demanded that the YSRCP functionaries clarify their stand on Amaravati before entering the state capital. When the YSRCP workers tried to proceed, both groups clashed by hurling stones and eggs at each other.Sensing a possible law and order situation, police were deployed in large numbers and prevented further escalation. A police constable was injured while dispersing the crowds, and was rushed to a private hospital for treatment.Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that opposition leaders visited Amaravati to trigger unrest among capital region farmers. He said such attempts were resisted by farmers and accused the YSRCP of continuing conspiracies and engaging in misleading campaigns.

He said those who earlier accepted Amaravati later proposed multiple capitals and stalled development. He said the state govt is working towards developing Amaravati as a green and liveable capital and aims to make it a city that people can take pride in.The YSRCP said the committee was formed after capital farmers, whose land was allegedly being taken forcibly, met party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Ambati Rambabu alleged that the ruling party members, in the guise of farmers, attacked their workers.

He said the state govt is scared of opposition visiting the village as its irregularities would be widely exposed.Dasari Krishna, a farmer from Amaravati, alleged that the YSRCP leaders who conspired to “kill Amaravati” have no moral right to visit the capital. He said none of those accompanying the so-called committee was farmers and alleged that they were all history-sheeters from other places.