Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday, 26 April, compared TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu with a sly ageing tiger.
He also indirectly cautioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also the general public not to fall prey to the political gimmicks of the Opposition leader.
This came after Naidu, during an interaction with a news channel on Tuesday, hailed Modi’s vision, saying he would associate his state and people to achieve the prime minister’s vision.
On Wednesday, Jagan also released ₹912.71 crore as part of the Jagananna Vasathi Deevena for the boarding and lodging charges of 9,55,662 students pursuing degree, polytechnic, ITI, engineering and medical courses.
The amount would be directly credited into the bank accounts of their mothers.
Also read: Jana Sena-TDP alliance all but sealed as leaders meet
The fable and the comparison
At Narpala village in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, Jagan referred to Naidu’s interaction and his comments about Modi.
Likening Naidu to the sly ageing tiger from the Panchatantras, Jagan accused him of political gimmicks to hoodwink people by telling them that he was a changed person now.
Addressing a public meeting after releasing Jagananna Vasathi Deevena funds to student beneficiaries on Wednesday, the chief minister narrated the fable of a man-eating tiger from the Panchatantras and asked people not to fall victim to Naidu’s political drama and antics again.
“Once upon a time, there lived a tiger in a forest. With the passing years, he became too old to hunt. One day, the tiger found a gold bangle and picked it up thinking that he could use it as a lure on humans,” said Jagan, narrating the story.
“Soon after noticing a traveller, the aged tiger held the bangle in his paw, making it visible, and asked him whether he want to take it, saying that he didn’t require it,” he continued.
“After seeing the traveller hesitate, the tiger innocently told him that he was wicked in his youth, but had changed due to the advancement of age. He said that he had grown old, had no teeth, and his claws are blunt,” said Jagan.
“The tiger advised the traveller that there was no need to fear for him. He lured the traveller with his sweet and smart talk and eventually ate him up,” concluded Jagan.
Like that man-eater, Naidu was trying to convince people that he had totally changed, said Jagan, adding that the old fox would never learn lessons, he said.
Throwing satirical barbs at the TDP president, he referred to the poor quality of an interview given by Naidu recently and said the former chief minister was only trying to spread lies to cheat people once again.
Jagan emphasised that the people understand the lesson from this fable, which was to never accept liars or backstabbers who claimed to have changed.
He claimed that Naidu never considered aiding the underprivileged and instead tirelessly worked for real-estate agents, the wealthy, and his inner circle.
Also read: Illustration of Jagan feeding ash-smeared boy kicks up a storm
More barbs at TDP, Naidu
The septuagenarian had attracted four foxes into his fold to spread lies and cheat people again, said Jagan.
Pursuing a policy of loot, stash, and devour with the support of his friendly media and foster son, Naidu cheated farmers, women’s self-help groups, pensioners, unemployed youth, and other sections of the society during his rule, alleged Jagan
The old man was out to cheat people yet again by spreading lies and denigrating the government and the YSRCP, he added.
Observing that the TDP president was playing games with the human memory to cheat people for electoral gains, he asked them not to be misled by his empty promises and lies.
Unlike under the TDP rule, the incumbent YSRCP government has so far spent ₹2.08 lakh crore on the welfare of the people, he said.
He appealed to the people to become his soldiers and work for a YSRCP victory in the next elections if they felt they benefited from the party’s welfare programmes.
“You are only my courage and confidence, and I fully depend on you and God, unlike Naidu who has the backing of friendly media and foster son,” he told the gathering.
