When the fire broke out around midnight, one employee was at the sub-collector's office, which gave rise to suspicion.
Published Jul 23, 2024 | 3:41 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 23, 2024 | 3:41 AM
N Chandrababu Naidu and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (X)
Incensed by the mysterious fire that broke out in Madanapalle Sub-Collector’s office in Annamayya district on late Sunday night, 21 July, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered an inquiry into how the fire started and who was responsible for it.
The chief minister grew annoyed after learning that important files were gutted in the fire mishap and wanted to know whether the fire was accidental, or someone had deliberately set fire to the files. The chief minister rushed the DGP and other officials to the spot and ferret out the truth.
When the fire broke out around midnight, one employee was in the sub-collector’s office, which gave rise to suspicion. The chief minister wanted to know what the said employee was doing at such a late hour on Sunday in the sub-collector’s office. Important files related to assigned lands are understood to have been reduced to ashes in the fire.
The chief minister, who suspected foul play, wanted the officials to keep a watch on activities of those who owe allegiance to the previous YSRCP government. The mystery deepened when the officials found that the CCTV cameras were out of order in the area where the fire took place. The files as well as hard discs of computers also went up in the flames.
The chief minister raised the issue at the NDA partners’ meeting in connection with the ongoing Assembly session. He said there were attempts to make the fire look like an accident but he was not completely convinced as there were several unanswered questions.
“The fire in sub-collector’s office in Madanapalle indicated the depths to which the functioning of the government departments had plummeted,” Chandrababu Naidu said. Even the senior officials were not responding to such grave instances. “I had to rush the DGP to the spot, after giving him clear instructions,” the chief minister added.
Naidu sought to expose the “political capers” of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to gain advantage over the TDP. Naidu said that the YRSCP president was trying to make the murder in Vinukonda as one that was motivated by political reasons at a time when it took place due to rivalry between two persons.
Citing that murder, Jagan Mohan Reddy was demanding the imposition of President’s rule in the state as though law and order had broken down, Naidu said. He said that he was according top priority to maintenance of law and order and that there was no question of any compromise on it.
“We will not spare anyone who resort to violence regardless of which party they belong to,” Naidu said, adding that serious action would be initiated even if TDP workers are involved in any crime. “I want to see the last of legacy crime. I am aiming at zero crime rate,” Naidu added.
Chandrababu Naidu was categorical that there should be no vindictive action against political rivals. “I was in jail for 53 days. Can you imagine how much suffering I had been through? But I am against reprisals,” he said, pointing out that law would take its own course if there was any breach to peace and tranquility in the state.
The chief minister said that the state’s finances were in a mess and that there was no money even for emergencies. “I do not think any state has the kind of finances that we have in Andhra,” he explained. He pointed out that there were several challenges before the NDA government in the state and that it has to face them.
During the last five years, there was no violation that Jagan did not resort to. He tried to muzzle the voice of the opposition. “When Pawan Kayan went to Visakhapatnam, his movements were restricted. When I was in jail, the government did not allow visitors,” he said and added that Jagan Mohan Reddy came to plunder the sate which he did and left. “Let us not do what Jagan did. Let us work for the welfare of the people,” he said.
(Edited by Neena)
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