AP: 4 University students suspended from hostel for protesting against three-capital plan

Four students of Acharya Nagarjuna University have been suspended from the varsity hostel for participating in protests, demanding the city of Amaravati to be retained as the only capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Following the orders of the Vice-Chancellor (FAC) Prof P Rajasekhar, two students of Journalism and Mass Communication Department, Asirvadam and Naveen, and two students of English Department, Raju and Edukondalu, were suspended by the hostel chief warden Dr Ramachandran.

The suspension order of the students claims that they were involved in "anti-government activities" as the reason for suspension.  The students were directed to appear before the disciplinary committee of the Acharya Nagarjuna University, which will then seek an explanation from them and decide on the period of suspension, the order said.

READ | TDP Chief Naidu Asks CM Jagan Reddy Not To Shift Capital From Amaravati

TDP condemns suspension

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP from Guntur Galla, Jayadev condemned the suspension of the four students. Taking to Twitter, Jayadev questioned if the students have no right to hold a peaceful protest.

" Acharya Nagarjuna University suspending four students for participating in Pro-Amaravati programme, & calling them Anti-Government is highly condemnable. Two of them are pursuing journalism. First, don't they have the right to peaceful protest? Second, isn't the role of a journalist to question the wrong decisions of Government?" he tweeted.

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Jagan Reddy Govt approves 3 Capitals in Andhra Pradesh

In a massive development, the Andhra Pradesh government on January 21 approved the 3-city capital plan in the three-day Assembly session called for this issue. The bills proposing the Secretariat to be situated in Visakhapatnam, High court in Kurnool and State Assembly at Amaravati too has been introduced in the Assembly.

The cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy in Amaravati has approved the findings of the report by the High Power Committee constituted to look into the 3-capital recommendations.

READ | HISTORIC: Jagan Govt Approves Andhra's 3 Capitals- Visakhapatnam, Kurnool & Amaravati

Reports state that both the cabinet meeting and Assembly sessions were being held amid tight police cover in the Amaravati, Vijayawada and Guntur to prevent agitators from laying siege to the State Assembly. Opposition parties including TDP have given a 'Chalo Assembly' call, protesting against the shift of capital from Amaravati.

Several TDP leaders including the party MPs, MLCs, former ministers and ex-MLAs and key leaders from across the state were placed under house arrest by the police ahead of the session.

READ | Andhra Pradesh: TDP Boycotts Assembly, Writes Letter To Guv Alleging Violation Of Rules

(With inputs from ANI)

 

Four students suspended from University hostel for taking part in pro-Amravati protest