Andhra Pradesh’s Shocking Crackdown: 49 Arrested for Offensive Social Media Posts Targeting TDP Leaders' Families

The Andhra Pradesh government, led by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), recently cracked down on social media activists and supporters of the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

This took place between November 6 and 12. During this time, police issued 680 notices, registered 147 cases, and arrested 49 people.

Authorities say the activists "crossed a line" by posting offensive content about the wives and daughters of TDP leaders.

The charges against those arrested include promoting enmity between groups, defamation, and criminal conspiracy. Some were also charged under the IT Act for morphing images and sharing derogatory material online.

The police focused on social media posts by YSRCP supporters that allegedly targeted prominent women in TDP leadership.

These included Home Minister V. Anitha, Vasundhara (wife of TDP MLA and actor N. Balakrishna), the wife of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the daughters of Deputy CM K. Pawan Kalyan, and YSR Congress leader Y. S. Sharmila and her mother, Y. S. Vijayamma.

Among those arrested were key YSRCP social media activists, including Varra Ravinder Reddy, Inturi Ravi Kiran, Kallam Harikrishna Reddy, Peddireddy Sudha Rani, and Meka Venkat Rami Reddy.

Ravinder Reddy, a YSRCP leader from Kadapa, is accused of running YouTube channels that spread defamatory content targeting female political leaders. Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen said Reddy's posts stirred division and unrest among communities.

TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy defended the crackdown.

He said mocking political leaders is fine, but attacking their families with vulgar or explicit content crosses the line.

He also pointed out that the TDP had avoided vendetta politics, but the ongoing offensive behavior from YSRCP supporters left them no choice but to act.

YSRCP chief and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the arrests. He accused the TDP-led government of resorting to vendetta politics to stifle free speech.

He argued that the crackdown violated citizens' right to free speech and was motivated more by political revenge than by a commitment to democratic values.

The move has intensified political tensions, particularly after Pawan Kalyan recently criticized the Home Minister for failing to do her job.