TDP Demands Permanent Amaravati Capital Law and Minor Social Media Ban

In a high-stakes all-party meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) — a crucial NDA ally — forcefully advocated for two major priorities: granting Amaravati permanent statutory status as Andhra Pradesh’s capital and launching a national push to ban social media access for children below 16 years. The demands, raised ahead of the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament, blend state-level stability concerns with broader worries about digital safety for the young.

TDP MP Lavu Krishna Devarayalu detailed the party’s submissions, highlighting the social media restriction as one of three national issues flagged during the discussions. “If Australia can implement it, why can’t India?” he asked, pointing to growing evidence of online harms to minors. On the capital front, the party insisted on a dedicated parliamentary law to lock in Amaravati’s status, ending the uncertainty sparked by the previous YSRCP administration’s short-lived three-capitals experiment. TDP argues that only a firm legislative guarantee, rooted in Articles 245 and 246 of the Constitution, can deliver the predictability investors and landowners need.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has already engaged senior Union figures, including a January 8 meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, to build momentum for an Amaravati capital bill. Party sources indicate the proposal could be tabled soon, potentially during the current Budget Session, aiming to safeguard development progress, protect land rights, and accelerate Amaravati’s emergence as a modern capital city.

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Complementing the capital push, TDP is championing stricter social media rules for minors, an agenda strongly backed by State IT Minister Nara Lokesh. Speaking at Davos earlier, Lokesh stressed that children lack the maturity to navigate toxic online content and called for robust legal safeguards, including age-verification systems and parental controls. The party is studying Australia’s restrictive model while consulting experts to craft an India-specific framework that prioritizes child protection.

Legal analysts caution that any nationwide ban would face significant hurdles. Such a measure must navigate fundamental rights — freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a) and privacy under Article 21 — while aligning with the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. The law would also need to satisfy Supreme Court tests of reasonableness, public interest, and proportionality, with platforms facing heavy compliance burdens.

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