Amaravati: Cabinet meeting held amid protests in capital villages

Amaravati: Under high security cover, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted the State Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat at Velagapudi on Friday to discuss the report submitted by GN Rao Committee.

The meeting was held amid strong protests, rasta rokos and road blockades by farmers, members of social organisations and Opposition parties. The Cabinet meeting began at 11 m at the Secretariat at Velagapudi as scheduled.

On the other hand, the police tightened the security by placing hundreds of police personnel around the Secretariat. Police also placed pickets at every 100 or 200 metres along all the roads, which lead to the Secretariat.

Villagers of Amaravati capital region have been protesting for the past 10 days demanding that the capital should be continued in Amaravati and opposing Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's proposal.

Under the prevailing circumstances, the police arranged tight security at Amaravati villages, mainly at Mandadam, Velagapudi, Rayapudi, Krishnayapalem, Uddandarayunipalem and other villages. Section 144 of CrPC and Section 30 of AP Police Act were imposed in more than 10 Assembly constituencies in both Krishna and Guntur districts, spread over the capital region.