Minister of state (home) Nityanand Rai introduced the bill for consideration and passing, which was followed by an almost two-hour long discussion. The bill introduced a single amendment in Section 5 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 which reads, “in sub-section (2), for the words ‘and there shall be a new capital’, the words ‘and Amaravati shall be the new capital’ shall be substituted”. Congress MP Manickam Tagore opened the discussion and supported the bill, saying, “Andhra Pradesh trusted this Parliament and gave up its capital of Hyderabad. But we demand that the capital of Amaravati should be completely funded by the Centre. At the same time Andhra should get the promised special category status.”
TDP MP Chandrasekhar Pemmasani termed the bill a “significant milestone in the state’s history” and said the capital was built on the sacrifices of the people.
Opposing the bill, YSRCP MP PV Midhun Reddy said, “On one hand chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu recently gave a statement that the state has money only to pay salaries and on the other the government has embarked on this ambitious project of a brand new capital. I want to ask the government why are they acquiring land in the second phase when they have not been able to implement projects on the land already acquired.”
Reddy said that 54,000 acres had been acquired and the government was acquiring more land. “Kolkata has come up on 51,000 acres, NDMC on 10,500 acres. Why are you taking away fertile land from farmers? Isn’t 54,000 acres enough?” he said, adding that the bill should incorporate specific timelines on when compensation would be provided to farmers and when projects would be completed. Reddy and three other YSRCP MPs walked out of the House.
BJP MP CM Ramesh attacked the YSRCP and accused former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy of opposing Amaravati. He said Reddy’s idea of three capitals for Andhra Pradesh was “illogical”. “We have seen with our own eyes how projects were stalled and demolished because of one man’s ego. Governments come and go but you don’t waste the people’s money by turning the clock back on ongoing projects,” he said.
The bill was passed with a voice vote. It will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
