Amaravati: The central government has said it is the prerogative of state governments to take decisions on their capital cities.
During Tuesday’s Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said it is for the state to decide on its capital as it falls within its territory and there would be no intervention from the Centre.
Rai was replying to a question raised by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Jayadev Galla regarding the Centre’s response to the proposal of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP)-led government to develop three capitals in Andhra Pradesh. Galla also wanted to know if the Union government would advise the state to not resort to such decisions.
“Recently, media reports have appeared indicating the state government’s decision to create three capitals for Andhra Pradesh," said Rai. "It is for each state to decide on its capital within its territory.”
Protests have erupted in the southern state after Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy announced his government’s decision to establish Vishakhapatnam and Kurnool as the executive and judicial capital, respectively, besides Amaravati as the legislative headquarters.
Farmers who had given up their land in Amaravati region for the creation of a world-class capital as promised by the previous government, led by N Chandrababu Naidu, have taken to the streets and the TDP has extended its support to the agitation.
Naidu, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and a few BJP leaders had earlier sought the central government’s intervention to stop Reddy from going ahead with his plan.
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