Home Minister V. Anitha addressing the media at the TDP office, near Mangalagiri, in Guntur district on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: G.N. Rao
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V. Anitha on July 21 (Sunday) rubbished former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s allegation that 36 “political murders” had taken place in the last 45 days, and sought to know why shouldn’t the government register a case against him for making a false claim.
Ms. Anitha said the fact was only four such murders were reportedly committed, while suggesting to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy not to forget the manner in which he had misused the police in the last five years against whoever questioned the government’s failures.
It was ridiculous on his part to demand President’s rule and stage a protest in the national capital, having presided over a draconian regime from 2019 to 2024, she stated.
Addressing the media at the TDP central office, near Mangalagiri, in Guntur district, Ms. Anitha said, “As Home Minister, I am asking Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy to show proof of the murders. I advise him not to raise a hue and cry for the sake of publicity.”
She said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy told the media at Vinukonda, after consoling the family of a party worker who was allegedly hacked to death by a TDP activist, that 300-plus attempts to murder, 30 suicides, damages to 560 private properties and more than 1,000 physical attacks were reported after the NDA formed the government, without being in a position to corroborate them. Of the four persons who were murdered due to political enmity, three belonged to the TDP, she added.
Further, Ms. Anitha said scores of persons against whom cases were booked on frivolous grounds during the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) term were still struggling in courts.
Attack on TDP office
She claimed that the YSRCP Government was pulled up by the High Court for violating the constitutional rights of people. Besides, the YSRCP leaders and their henchmen, who ransacked the TDP central office, were roaming freely. This attack was so brazen, but Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy did not utter a word about it, forget about condemning the act, Ms. Anitha said.
The former Chief Minister had never held a review meeting on the law and order scenario, but was now pretending to be concerned about the incidents. It was to abstain from the Assembly session that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was going to New Delhi, purportedly to stage protest against the recent incidents of violence, Ms. Anitha added.
