Y S Jagan accuses TDP of resorting to murder and intimidation against its rivals

“Ever since the TDP came to power, a reign of terror has been unleashed against the cadre of our party, ” alleged Jagan. (Source: Express Archive)

The ruling Telugu Desam Party was on the back foot on Monday after the main Opposition party leader Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy accused it of instigating political murders and intimidation in Andhra Pradesh. Jagan met Governor ESL Narasimhan today and submitted a memorandum accusing TDP activists of killing at least 17 YSRCP members ever since the TDP came to power last May, and demanded his intervention.

Citing the April 29 incident when YSRCP’s convenor of Rapthadu Mandal in Anantapur district B Prasada Reddy was hacked to death allegedly by TDP activists, Jagan stated that the TDP had let loose a reign of terror against its political rivals. “This was the eighth murder in Anantapur district post elections. The only reason he was eliminated was in the hope that there will be nobody in future who can challenge TDP in that constituency. Having murdered Prasad Reddy for political gain, the Government is now desperately trying to depict the murder as a fall out of faction rivalry. This is a murder for political gains and Prasada Reddy was killed in the Tahsildhar office,” Jagan said.

“Ever since the TDP came to power, a reign of terror has been unleashed against the cadre of our party. The behavior of TDP and its leaders is one of utter disrespect for democratic norms and they are working with a clear design to physically eliminate the opposition in the state. YSRCP cadre are attacked across the state and this violence has resulted in 17 deaths and serious injuries to another 110 persons,” Jagan Mohan Reddy said.

The YSRCP chief said that in certain cases police even refused to register cases. “I have raised this issue on the floor of the House during the debate on Motion of thanks to the Governor. The Chief Minister did not consider this as an important issue and never bothered to reply. Where do we go for justice, when the Chief Minister encourages such things?” he said.

Jagan said that on March 31, Vijaya Bashkar Reddy, president of Kistipadu Village Cooperative Society belonging to YSRCP was murdered by TDP cadre. “Vijaya Bashkar Reddy was called to the society by a secretary who asked him to resign from the president post and on his refusal he was murdered there and then by TDP workers. Senior TDP leaders and officials occupying very high positions in the Government are using the lower level officials like Station House Officers, Tahsildars as tools to perpetuate political murders, attacks on YSRCP cadre,” Jagan said.

After the TDP came to power, this is the eighth political murder in Anantapur district. Earlier, B Viswanath, YSRCP sarpanch of Hanumapuram village, party workers Prakasham Shetty of Yellanuru, B Mallikarjuna of Putlur mandal were allegedly murdered by TDP cadre.

“While no action has been taken in any of these murders, police is arresting out party leaders like ex-MLA Gurunatha Reddy, T Chandra Sekhar Reddy and others accusing them of instigating people to attack Raptadu Tahsildhar office after Prasada Reddy’s murder,” says Jagan.

Source:: Indian Express