Protests for retaining Amaravati as the state capital continued on Saturday in parts of Andhra Pradesh even as a ruling YSR Congress MLA allegedly abused leader of the opposition Chandrababu Naidu while a BJP Rajya Sabha member said it was better to live as a refugee in another country than in a state "beset with crime."
The Amaravati Parirakshana Samiti, which is fighting for retaining Amaravati as the state capital, held protests in various towns.
The ruling YSRC too organised counter rallies at various locations, supporting Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddys "three capitals" idea, mooted by him in December 2019,one each for the executive, judiciary and legislature, across the three regions.
It was at one such rally in coastal Kakinada that local MLA D Chandrasekhar Reddy allegedly abused Chandrababu Naidu in the presence of local MP Vanga Geeta.
Reddy also lashed out at Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan.
BJP MP Y Satyanarayana Chowdary, while expressing serious concern over 'police high-handedness' on peacefully protesting women in favour of Amaravati, said going to some other country as a refugee could be an option as there was no point living in such a state beset with crime and atrocities.
YSRC MLA G Amarnath filed a police complaint against the MP for his remarks, while Agriculture Minister K Kanna Babu termed the MPs comments shameful.
The BJP, which held its state executive meeting in Guntur, passed a resolution, demanding that Amaravati be retained as the state capital.
Even as the protests went on, pictures of alleged police high handedness going viral on social media platforms.
Opposition MPs expressed outrage over "police excesses" even as state Director General of Police met Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on the happenings, particularly in the last two-three days.
Tension continued in villages in Amaravati region as police went to farmers' houses in search of suspects who allegedly created trouble in the name of the ongoing agitation.
The alleged police excesses saw Guntur MP Galla Jayadev demanding stern action against the guilty.
Vijayawada MP Kesineni Srinivas wrote to the National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma, alleging that police heckled the women protestors and noted down the caste particulars of each of them.
"The detained women were held in custody even after 6 PM, which is a clear violation of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Please take cognizance of this and initiate appropriate action, the MP said.
TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu extended his fight for Amaravati to temple-town Tirupati and organized a Save Amaravati rally.
Meanwhile, Municipal Minister Botsa Satyanarayana and Information Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) separately met 'farmers' of Amaravati and promised them a fair deal from the government.
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