YSRCP accuses Naidu of violating GO on public safety

TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday continued his tour and protests in home constituency Kuppam, opposing the Jaganmohan Reddy government's curbs on road shows and drawing sharp criticism from the ruling side.

A Government Order issued by the YSRCP government earlier this week prohibiting public meetings, rallies on roads across the state, following stampedes at TDP events that killed 11 people, is the point of the latest confrontation between the two parties.

The opposition leader has been charging that YSRCP leaders were allowed to organise meetings in public places, while restrictions are imposed on TDP rallies. Police are resorting to attacks on TDP activists and filing cases on the same men, Naidu stated.

YSRCP General Secretary and advisor to Government (Public Affairs) Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy refuted the charges, strongly objecting to Naidu’s “open challenge violating the GO issued in public interest.”

“People of Andhra Pradesh should judge if such a GO, issued in the backdrop of loss of innocent lives in the recent stampedes, is necessary or not. The GO listing disadvantages of conducting rallies, meetings on roads, highways, is very much within the jurisdiction of the Police Act and all parties, including YSRCP, have to abide by it,” Sajjala told reporters in Amaravati on Friday.

Sajjala said that “instead of tendering an apology to the people for what had happened at Kandukur and Guntur, Naidu is resorting to political drama and chaotic demonstrations showing scant respect for the law of the land.”

On Wednesday, Naidu, who was on his way in a convoy from Bengaluru airport to Kuppam was stopped by the police at Pedduru in Chittoor district and handed a notice denying permission for his roadshow.

On Friday, the third day of his Kuppam visit, the former chief minister accused the local police “of resorting to anarchy,” while suspecting the influence of Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy.

TDP leaders complained that police created obstructions to Naidu's visit to the party office at Gudipalli in Kuppam Assembly segment. Protesting the conduct, Naidu staged a sit-in on the road.

Sajjala said that the GO asks all political parties to identify alternative places like public grounds and other open places for conducting rallies and public meetings in a hassle-free manner, to prevent recurrence of stampede incidents.