YSR Congress Party chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has alleged an undeclared emergency-like situation in the state. His remarks come after a series of attacks on opposition leaders and what he calls the misuse of police power by the current government.
Reddy didn’t hold back as he accused Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu of targeting political adversaries with false cases and violent acts. He specifically mentioned the attack on Prasanna Kumar Reddy’s house, where an aged mother was present, calling it a clear sign of deteriorating democratic values.
Criticism is part of politics, but sending armed mobs to attack opponents? That’s a new low, Reddy said. He also pointed out how roads were dug up and police were deployed in large numbers to stop people from meeting him. According to him, these are just diversion tactics to hide the government’s failure in fulfilling election promises.
The former CM didn’t stop there. He slammed Naidu for what he described as a vindictive approach, citing the illegal quartz mining case as an example. Despite the Village Revenue Officer confirming no quarrying took place for four years, cases were still filed. Old cases are being revived just to keep opposition leaders in jail longer, Reddy claimed.
One of the most troubling accusations was about YSRCP leaders being systematically targeted. Kakani Govardhan Reddy, accused in multiple cases, has been in jail for 64 days. Meanwhile, others accused in the same cases have been granted anticipatory bail. Reddy called this a clear indication of the collapsing law and order in the state.
The allegations didn’t end with legal harassment. Reddy accused TDP leaders of using foul language against women politicians like RK Roja and Rajani, while attacks on Zila Parishad Chairperson Uppala Harika have gone unchecked. If political rivals start retaliating the same way, where does that leave democracy, he questioned.
Beyond politics, Reddy also highlighted public grievances. Students haven’t received fee reimbursements for six quarters. Farmers are struggling without Minimum Support Price guarantees. Corruption is rampant, with police allegedly acting as collection agents for local leaders. Even policies like free sand have failed, with prices skyrocketing while illegal activities like gambling dens operate freely.
The former CM’s fiery remarks paint a grim picture of Andhra Pradesh under the current coalition government. Whether this escalates further or leads to concrete political action remains to be seen.