Oppn leaders support Jagan’s protest in Delhi against violence in Andhra

Leaders from various Opposition parties, including Shiv Sena (UBT), AIADMK, Samajwadi Party, and TMC, attended the protest and condemned the alleged violence by the TDP

New Delhi: YSR Congress Party president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led his party to organise an exhibition and protest meeting in Delhi today “to highlight the targeted violence and killing of YSRCP cadres.” Leaders from a number of Opposition parties attended the meeting to show solidarity with the YSRCP.

In the last 45 days, Andhra Pradesh has witnessed a series of unprecedented atrocities under the TDP government, he said, Reddy said. “The rule of law has been blatantly disregarded, and the administration has indulged in acts that can be described as nothing short of tyrannical.”

In just 45 days of the new government, more than 30 people have been murdered, 300-odd murder attempts have been made, 35 people have committed suicide due to TDP harassment, 560 private properties have been destroyed, 490 government properties have been vandalized, and nearly 2,700 families have left their villages due to these atrocities, the former chief minister said, adding that over 1,050 incidents of violence and attacks have been reported.

On July 17, a YSRCP activist, Rashid, was brutally hacked to death in Vinukonda. This incident happened in the middle of a busy street, and shockingly, the police were in close proximity when it occurred, Reddy said. Talking about the photo and video exhibition, he talked about the photographs which established the perpetrator’s proximity with a TDP MLA. Yet, there is no case against the MLA, he added.

He also talked about how “TDP goons attacked our party Councillor Nadakuduti Girish… and stabbed him multiple times in broad daylight on a busy road.”

The misuse of state machinery to silence dissent and target political opponents is a blatant abuse of power, Reddy said.

Many Opposition leaders joined hands with Reddy to slam the new TDP government under Chief Ministers N Chandrababu Naidu. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut attended the protest meeting and condemned the alleged violence by TDP against YSRCP workers. Raut called for a detailed investigation by the Centre into the prevailing violence in Andhra Pradesh.

Raut’s party colleague and MP Arvind Sawant also criticized the TDP for its alleged targeted violence against YSRCP workers. The Lok Sabha MP stated that if the violence continues, Andhra Pradesh will soon become the next Manipur. Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticized the TDP government. Rajya Sabha MP and AIADMK leader M Thambidurai also attended the protest and criticized the state government. Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav criticized Andhra CM Naidu over the killings and violence in the state. TMC MP Nadimul Haque expressed his anger against the Andhra government over the violence in the state. Many other Opposition leaders also supported Reddy’s protest.