Andhra govt resorted to oppressing people as unable to suppress 'Save Amaravati movt', says Gaala Jayadev

Lambasting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy for extending by three months, the period of the existing preventive detention order in the state, Telugu Desam Party MP Galla Jayadev on Friday said the state government has resorted to 'oppressing the people' as it was unable to suppress the 'Save Amaravati movement'.

"Unable to suppress the Save Amaravati movement, the AP Government has resorted to oppressing the people. With this order the Government can detain a person for upto 3 months, in any part of the State," TDP lawmaker from Guntur Jayadev tweeted.

"If this is not oppression then what is? Where is the threat to National Security in the State?" he asked.

Andhra Pradesh government on Friday issued an order, empowering the collectors and district magistrates and the commissioners of police in the state to exercise powers of detention under the National Security Act,1980 for up to three months.

The "powers of detention" are already in existence for the past three months and will continue for the next three months.

"The National Security Act,1980 (No.65 of 1980)-Extension of period for empowering all the Collectors and District Magistrates and the Commissioners of Police in of Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam to exercise powers of detention there under for a further period of three months from January 16, 2020 to April 15, 2020," Nilam Sawhney, Chief Secretary to Government said.

The decision was taken in regard to the circumstances and conditions prevailing and are likely to prevail within the local limits of the jurisdiction of all the collectors and district magistrates and the commissioners of police in the state.

The order holds importance in wake of the YSRCP government's proposal of three capitals, following which, protests have erupted in several parts of the state, particularly Amravati.