Y.S. Jagan Stages Dharna in Delhi, National Leaders Extend Support

Vijayawada: Former chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy led a dharna by YSRC at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Wednesday protesting against attacks on YSRC leaders and workers. In a significant show of support, several leaders of other political parties attended the programme in Delhi, including Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, AIADMK MP M Thambidurai and TMC MP Nadimul Haque.

Speaking on the occasion, Jagan charged that a TD has unleashed a “Red Book” governance under which policing has been inactive, plunging the state into lawlessness. He said in just 45 days of N. Chandrababu Naidu government taking over, more than 30 people have been murdered, 300-odd murder attempts made, 35 have committed suicide due to TD’s harassment, 560 private properties have been destroyed, 490 government properties have been vandalised, and nearly 2,700 families have left their villages due to atrocities by TD workers.

Addressing the meeting, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the violence in AP. He said had he not attended the protest, he would not have been aware of the severe state violence being perpetrated in Andhra Pradesh. Akhilesh urged AP CM Naidu to take serious measures and ensure safety and security of all political workers and people in the state. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called for a detailed investigation by the centre into the prevailing violence in Andhra Pradesh.

Another Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant said if the violence continues, AP will soon become the next Manipur. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi asked the top court to take suo motu cognisance of the violence in AP and order action. AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP M. Thambidurai criticised the AP government over the violence and asked Chandrababu Naidu to take serious measures to put an end to the atrocities. SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav slammed the AP Chief Minister and demanded imposition of Emergency in the state to end the violence. TMC MP Nadimul Haque expressed his anger over the continuous violence in AP and asked the Supreme Court to take cognisance of it.