Amaravati farmers assault man for raising slogans hailing YS Jagan

AMARAVATI: The farmers of Amaravati, who staged novel protests at their agitation sites in Thullur and Mandadam on Friday, assaulted one person for raising slogans in favour of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy. The incident happened during the day-long sloganeering by the farmers against YS Jagan. The farmers and their women family members organised the protest to register their resentment against the distribution of house site pattas in the R5 Zone of Amaravati capital region to the poor, which was held on Friday with all pomp and fanfare by the Chief Minister.

The agitating capital region farmers, who have been opposing the State Government’s move tooth and nail, had even approached the Supreme Court. But their efforts went in vain as the apex court refused to stay the distribution of the house site pattas to the poor in the R5 Zone. Coinciding with the historic event, the farmers protested in novel ways, by putting the noose around their neck and hoisting black balloons besides sporting black ribbons as blindfolds.

As part of their black balloon protest, the agitators raised slogans ‘Down Down CM’. But to their shock, one of the men in the group countered them by shouting in praise of the Chief Minister (Jai Jai Jagan). Infuriated by this, the agitators pounced on him and launched an assault on the hapless person.

The police personnel on hand quickly interfered and came to the rescue of the person. But even as the police tried hard to protect him, angry agitators kept jostling with the men in uniform to catch hold of the person. They vented their anger and frustration with choicest expletives and even rained a few punches at him. The police avoided further trouble by driving the person away on a two-wheeler. The incident sparked tension in the area for some time.