Farmers Stop YSRC Leaders, Pelt Stones
The windscreen of a vehicle belonging to a YSRC leader was damaged in the stone-pelting.
Vijayawada:High tension prevailed at Undavalli in Guntur district on Saturday as Amaravati farmers prevented YSRC leaders from entering the capital region, leading to heated arguments, stone-pelting and minor injuries to a police constable.
The YSRC had constituted a Rajadhani Parirakshana Committee comprising leaders from Guntur, Krishna and NTR districts to visit Amaravati villages, inspect lands and interact with farmers over issues related to their land.
Accordingly, party leaders Perni Venkataramaiah, Lella Appireddy and Devineni Avinash set out from Prakasam Barrage to visit Penumaka.
Anticipating their arrival, Amaravati farmers staged protests at Penumaka and Krishnayapalem. As the YSRC leaders reached Undavalli, farmers blocked their convoy, raised slogans and displayed placards asking them to go back. They accused the YSRC of betraying Amaravati by proposing three capitals and failing to develop the capital during its five-year tenure.
The farmers demanded that the YSRC first accept Amaravati as the state's capital before visiting the villages.
The confrontation soon escalated into heated arguments and jostling between farmers and YSRC supporters. Stones were reportedly thrown by both sides, prompting police to intervene and disperse the groups.
Police constable Chinna Thambi sustained minor injuries in the incident. Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha later spoke to him over the phone, enquired about his condition and assured him of government support.
Meanwhile, YSRC president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy criticised the incident in a post on X, questioning whether the state government was running a democracy or a "regime of goons". He alleged that the attacks were intended to prevent the truth about the hardships faced by Amaravati farmers from coming to light and accused the government of harassing farmers who had refused to part with their land through acquisition notices.
The windscreen of a vehicle belonging to a YSRC leader was damaged in the stone-pelting.
