Former Chief Justice of India NV Ramana alleged that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government targeted his family with false cases to pressure him for supporting the Amaravati farmers’ movement against the three-capitals plan.
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ANDHRA PRADESH: Former Chief Justice of India NV Ramana has alleged that his family members were targeted and falsely implicated in criminal cases by the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government to “coerce” him during the farmers’ agitation against shifting the capital from Amaravati to Visakhapatnam.
Speaking at the fifth convocation ceremony of VIT-AP University held on Andhra Pradesh Formation Day (November 1), Justice Ramana said the move was part of an effort to intimidate those who stood by constitutional principles and the democratic process.
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Without naming the former YSRCP regime led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the former Chief Justice recalled that even the families of judges who had no direct role in political issues became “collateral” to political vendettas.
“Most of you present here know how my family was targeted and criminal cases were filed against them. All this was done only to coerce me, and I was not alone,”
said Justice Ramana, addressing the audience at VIT-AP.
He emphasized that many jurists, lawyers, and members of the judiciary faced “pressure, persecution, and transfers” for upholding the rule of law during the Amaravati capital controversy.
Justice Ramana’s remarks referred to the prolonged farmers’ protests in Amaravati, which began in December 2019 after the YSRCP government announced its plan to scrap Amaravati as the sole capital and implement a “three-capitals” formula, making Visakhapatnam the administrative capital, Amaravati the legislative capital, and Kurnool the judicial capital.
Thousands of farmers and landowners who had given up their lands for the Amaravati capital project under the previous TDP government, led by N. Chandrababu Naidu, felt betrayed. They launched one of the longest-running farmers’ protests in India, demanding the restoration of Amaravati as the only capital of Andhra Pradesh.
In 2020, during the YSRCP government’s tenure, Justice Ramana’s daughters were booked for allegedly purchasing land in Amaravati with prior knowledge of its proposed capital status. The Andhra Pradesh High Court later stayed the investigation and issued an injunction against the media from reporting on the FIR.
Around the same time, then Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote a controversial letter to then CJI SA Bobde, accusing Justice Ramana of influencing the High Court’s functioning in favor of the opposition TDP. The Supreme Court dismissed the allegations after conducting an in-house inquiry.
Praising the Amaravati farmers for their unwavering spirit, Justice Ramana said:
“I salute the spirit of the farmers of Amaravati who courageously withstood the forces of government mechanism. I draw inspiration from their struggle and thank them for reposing their faith in the judiciary and democratic process.”
He further added that Amaravati holds a special place in his life, as it shaped his early years as a student leader and lawyer.
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After the TDP government returned to power in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu revived the Amaravati capital project. Construction works are now progressing rapidly, signaling a renewed commitment to making Amaravati the sole capital once again.
Justice Ramana concluded his speech by stressing the importance of judicial independence and the rule of law in preserving democracy:
“While governments may change, the courts and the rule of law remain the anchor of stability. The rule of law survives only when people refuse to surrender their integrity for convenience.”