It is Assembly, Not Film Set, Says Minister Roja

VIJAYAWADA: Tourism minister R.K. Roja on Thursday objected to Telugu Desam leaders led by Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna creating a ruckus in the AP Legislative Assembly over the arrest of TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Addressing a press conference, she said assembly is not a film set for Balakrishna to twirl his moustache and slap his thighs. “TD legislators behaved like bullies and goons in the legislative assembly today. They climbed the speaker’s podium, tore up papers and threw them on speaker’s face and broke his drinking water glass,” she recalled.

Roja maintained that respecting his age, Chandrababu has been allowed food from home, medicines and hot water. A mosquito net has been provided against mosquito bites. The barracks in Sneha block have been emptied and cleaned. He is being taken care of in jail CCTV cameras and full security, she stated.

The minister ridiculed Balakrishna, saying assembly means shooting a movie for the actor. “No one here will fear if you grow a moustache and beat your thigh,” she remarked. She underlined that like her, Balakrishna has been an MLA for nine years. But he does not care about Hindupur constituency or its people.

“He has come to the Legislative Assembly for Naidu. Balakrishna did not respond when Naidu snatched the TD party from his father NTR. But he is now coming to the assembly in an attempt to rescue Chandrababu, who has been caught as a thief in the Skill Development Corporation scam and has been sent to jail,” Roja stated.

She said top lawyers have come from Delhi to plead for Chandrababu. But they have not said that Naidu is innocent. They also did not talk about his involvement in the scam. The lawyers are only making a lame excuse that Governor had not been informed before arresting Naidu.

She described the former chief minister as an extortionist who released ₹371 crore of public money to Designtech and other shell companies. “He has made ₹241 crore through hawala,” Roja charged.