Telugu NRIs planning protests in 300 cities to support agitating farmers against decision to trifurcate state capital

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 2 (ANI): Thousands of non-resident Telugus in the US and other countries are planning demonstrations on July 3 to express their solidarity with the farmers of Amaravati, as their agitation against the YSRCP government's decision for trifurcation of the state capital completes 200 days.
The NRIs from Andhra Pradesh, who are supporting the agitation, are planning protests in 300 cities worldwide.
"More than 24,000 farmers of Amaravati capital region have been on the warpath ever since the YSR Congress Party government in the state announced the creation of three capitals on December 17 last year. Amaravati capital region farmers' agitation for keeping Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh is completing 200 days," said a release by Komati Jayaram, who is former president of the Telugu Association of North America (TANA).
The agitation began after the state government in December last year announced creation of three capitals - executive capital at Visakhapatnam, legislative capital at Amaravati and judicial capital at Kurnool.
Jayaram said these farmers have been waging a relentless battle for the last 200 days demanding that the capital be retained at Amaravati.
"They took out rallies, held relay hunger strikes, blocked national highways and braved arrests and lathi attacks from the police. Some of the farmers died of heart attacks due to psychological pressure," said Komati, who lives in California.
Komati said representatives of non-resident Telugu associations in the US had decided to stage demonstrations in support of the 200 days agitation by Amaravati farmers.
He said that they were planning to take out huge rallies but because of COVID-19 pandemic, they won't be able to get permission.
"So, we decided to restrict our protests by taking out candlelight rallies in these cities to convey our solidarity to the fighting farmers of Amaravati," Komati said.
He said after coming to know about the proposal, Telugu people in several other cities had also come forward to hold rallies. "The NRIs in other countries like Singapore, Thailand, Australia, England and New Zealand have also evinced interest in similar demonstrations. In all, the protests are likely to take place in 300 cities," the NRI businessman said.
Telugu Desam Party national President N Chandrababu Naidu will take part in the protests to be held at Amaravati on July 4. (ANI)