KURNOOL: Even as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court was laying a foundation stone for an additional block of courts in Amaravati, a consortium of 45 people’s organisations working for the cause of Rayalaseema held a one-day protest at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada, demanding the relocation of the High Court to Kurnool.
Rayalaseema Saguneeti Sadhana Samithi (RSSS) president Bojja Dasarath Reddy, who led the protest, said the Rayalaseema region has been neglected by successive governments and the implementation of the Sri Bagh Pact was relegated to the dustbin. While welcoming AP Chief Minister’s resolve to implement the Sri Bagh Pact which envisages the setting up of the High Court in Kurnool, Dasarath Reddy demanded the establishment of the Krishna River Board Management (KRMB) offices in Kurnool.
A large number of advocates, farmers associations, and environmentalists attended the meet.
Advocates, who attended the Dharma Deeksha, were miffed at the expansion of the High Court complex in Amaravati despite their demand for shifting the High Court to Kurnool.
Kurnool Bar Association president Subbaiah said the laying of the foundation stone for a new court complex at Nelapadu is a clear indication that the High Court will not be shifted to Kurnool. While the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy himself backed the demand for the relocation of the High Court, we were surprised as to why he was not stopping the construction of new buildings.” He said we will take up dharnas in front of the houses of district MLAs and two ministers.
Advocate Naga Lakshmi, who spoke at the protest site, said leaders and MLAs from the Rayalaseema region are not taking interest in the High Court issue. “We will chalk out a plan of action to give a new lease of life to our demand,” she reiterated.
Another advocate said at least N Chandrababu Naidu, former CM, agreed to establish a High Court bench in Kurnool. Now as things stand today, the shift of High Court appears a distant dream.
