While the reasons for the arrest remained unclear, it appeared to be part of the ongoing clampdown on YSRCP social media activists by the TDP-led coalition government.
Published Sep 10, 2025 | 6:41 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 10, 2025 | 6:41 PM
Venna Rajasekhar Reddy was arrested from his Hyderabad residence around 5 am on Wednesday.
Synopsis: Police arrived at Rajasekhar Reddy’s home and took him away around 5 am without revealing specific charges or case details. When his family went to the Piduguralla police station, officers reportedly claimed ignorance, further fueling criticism over the lack of transparency.
Continuing their crackdown on YSRCP social media activists, the Andhra Pradesh police arrested Venna Rajasekhar Reddy at his Hyderabad residence early on Wednesday, 10 September.
The arrest of Rajasekhar Reddy, the joint secretary of YSRCP’s state social media wing, around 5 am, sparked allegations of political vendetta and raised fresh concerns about free speech in the state.
According to sources, police arrived at Rajasekhar Reddy’s home and took him away without revealing specific charges or case details. When his family went to the Piduguralla police station, officers reportedly claimed ignorance, further fueling criticism over the lack of transparency.
While the reasons for the arrest remained unclear, it appeared to be part of the ongoing clampdown on YSRCP social media activists by the TDP-led coalition government. Previous arrests have been linked to allegedly derogatory or abusive posts against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and their families.
YSRCP activist Varra Ravindra Reddy was arrested in November 2024 for offensive posts. Similarly, [Done] senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao was arrested in June for allowing remarks against women from the Amaravati region during a live debate on Sakshi TV.
YSRCP condemned Rajasekhar Reddy’s arrest, terming it illegal and politically motivated. The party’s legal cell described it as part of ongoing harassment by the TDP-led coalition. The party accused authorities of bypassing due process.
Leaders said they would approach the Andhra Pradesh High Court, citing the lack of prior intimation to Rajasekhar Reddy’s family.
Sakshi Media, the YSRCP mouthpiece, described the arrest as an attempt to silence opposition voices exposing government failures. YSRCP supporters echoed the charge on social media, framing the arrest as an attack on free speech.
Rajasekhar Reddy’s family expressed anguish over the secrecy surrounding the arrest, saying the police’s refusal to provide details highlighted procedural violations. Supporters argued the move was aimed at weakening YSRCP’s social media presence.
So far, neither the Andhra Pradesh government nor the Piduguralla police have issued an official statement on the arrest. In earlier cases, authorities cited provisions under Sections 153A, 504, and 505 of the Indian Penal Code, along with IT Act clauses related to hate speech and defamation.
In Varra Ravindra Reddy’s case, for example, police claimed offensive content as the basis for his arrest. The absence of such clarity in this case has drawn further scrutiny.
The arrest came amidst heightened political tensions in Andhra Pradesh. Since the TDP-Jana Sena-BJP coalition ousted the YSRCP in the 2024 elections, arrests of opposition leaders have increased. YSRCP called this vendetta politics, pointing to probes into alleged scams during its tenure, such as the liquor scam involving Kasireddy Rajasekhar Reddy.
The party accused the ruling coalition of using police to suppress dissent—a charge the TDP itself had leveled against YSRCP when it was in power.
The arrest of Rajasekhar Reddy has reignited debate over freedom of expression. Both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have seen a surge in cases targeting political rivals over online posts. While laws exist to curb online abuse, their selective enforcement raises fears of free speech being curtailed.
YSRCP insisted that charges were fabricated, while TDP accused opposition activists of similar offenses—reflecting the deep mutual distrust between the two sides.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
