TDP chief slams state govt after police drag protesters into vans

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], Aug 26 (ANI): Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday criticised the state government after the police dragged "farmers protesting peacefully against non-payment of annuities into vans."
Naidu posted a video on his Twitter handle on Tuesday, showing protesting farmers being dragged into a police van. One of the protestors was injured during the incident.
The TDP chief, in a tweet, said, "Amaravati farmers who were peacefully demonstrating against the CRDA (Capital Region Development Authority) for not giving them their annuity allowance were dragged, roughed up and thrown into vans."
"Is this how farmers are treated? Appalling to see tyrannical abuse and suppression being used to silence the voices," asked Naidu in the tweet.
Farmers in the Amaravati region have recently completed 250 days of their agitation in support of their demand for having Amravati as the state capital and opposing the government's move to have three capitals.
Reportedly, people of Amaravati region villages have given almost 34,000 acres of land for the development of capital for the state.
Andhra Pradesh High Court had on August 14 ordered the state government to follow the status quo until August 27, the day of the next hearing, regarding the three-capital cities decentralisation act.
The state government had issued two gazette notifications regarding the Andhra Pradesh Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act 2020 and the Capital Region Development Authority (Repeal) Act 2020 after state governor Biswabhusan Harichandan gave assent to both the bills on July 31.
Opposing these acts to decentralise the state capital, many petitions are filed in the High Court. The court has ordered the status quo till the next hearing. (ANI)