Calling the political violence in the state a means of keeping the public occupied, Jagan accused Nara Lokesh of perpetrating it.
Published Jul 26, 2024 | 5:56 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 26, 2024 | 5:56 PM
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (Screengrab)
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday, 26 July, trained guns at the TDP government for perpetrating violence and using the same to keep people occupied as Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is not presenting the full budget.
Following up with the protest in Delhi, YS Jagan addressed the press at Tadepalli, where he accused Chandrababu Naidu of backing off from presenting a regular budget as he would be compelled to incorporate poll promises in it.
Jagan added, “If those super six promises do not reflect, he (Naidu) thought people will open their mouths.”
Recently, the chief minister announced in the Assembly that the state budget will be presented after two months due to “financial constraints”.
Calling the political violence in the state a means of keeping the public occupied, Jagan accused the IT minister and son of the chief minister, Nara Lokesh of perpetrating it.
“He carries a ‘Red Book’, with the name of officials he wants vengeance against. He then puts these hoardings up statewide,” Jagan added.
Noting that the violence is just an escape from accountability, he said this is not democratic. “Even the police are compromised. Instead of empathising with the victims, they act in tandem with the perpetrators, filing false cases against innocent people,” he protested.
Calling the state of affairs inhuman, Jagan claimed that people are being persecuted for political opposition. “If this continues, the TDP will also lose control of the monster it’s creating, there will be absolute lawlessness,” he said.
Jagan claimed that the TDP was caught in a rut as it could not deliver on its poll promises. “They are yet to present a full budget because they know they cannot. They’re afraid that the citizens of Andhra Pradesh will revolt against them because they cannot fulfil any of their promises,” he stated.
“Presenting the budget means they cannot propagate their lies anymore, that’s why they’re scared,” he asserted, calling the delay a shame.
He alleged that the TDP let its propaganda machinery run free to distract the public. “They’ve created an atmosphere of violence and fear to exert control. It won’t last very long,” he stated.
Jagan stated that the citizens of Andhra Pradesh all wondered the same thing: “What if Jagan was there (sic.)”
“There is a sprawling discontent within the masses,” he posited. Stating that even though the TDP promised a lot they are yet to deliver on anything, Jagan claimed that they were failing in caring for the state.
Further accusing the ruling government of stopping the schemes of the previous government, Jagan said, “You’re yet to fulfil any of your overambitious promises. Unfulfilment aside, you’ve also stopped all the benefits they received earlier,” he accused.
Claiming that his schemes “Amma Vaddi”, “Rythu Bharosa”, and others were meant for the welfare of Andhra Pradesh, Jagan said that stopping them was detrimental to the progress made. “To defame me, you’ve stopped these schemes. You’re disadvantaging crores of people for a political agenda,” he reiterated.
The YSRCP chief further accused the TDP of propagating false news against them. “The TDP created a whole campaign against me claiming that the state is crumbling under a debt of ₹14 lakh crores,” he stated. He added that this number had magically gone down to ₹10 lakh crore when the Governor inquired.
Informing that the YSRCP came to power inheriting a debt of ₹2.71 lakh crore, he stated that by June 2024 this debt was ₹5.18 lakh crores.
“Even if we add the guaranteed debt and the power sector debts, payables, and liabilities, it only adds up to about ₹7.48 lakh crores,” he said.
Speaking of the propaganda, he said, “The TDP media houses like TV5, Andhrajyothi, and Eenadu, take their claims and amplify them thoughtlessly. They do not care about the facts as they decide on the narrative,” he alleged, adding that it was destructive propaganda against public interest.
Claiming that the TDP was bringing in “White Papers” in the assembly as a mere distraction, Jagan declared that these were dead ends. He claimed that the “White Papers” instead told the people what YSRCP achieved during its term, he added, “One shouldn’t lie in the assembly”.
Doubling down on the TDP government, Jagan said, “You got a white paper alleging a liquor scam when you ran a syndicate.”
Jagan further claimed that the TDP had promoted alcohol consumption, while his government brought it down. “The volume (of alcohol consumption) has gone down while the revenue has gone up, this is good for the people, where is the scope for us to scam,” Jagan questioned.
Similarly, referencing the power sector white paper, Jagan slammed the TDP for making fictitious claims. “Even in the power sector, we inherited a massive debt. We brought it down substantially,” he stated.
He also discredited the allegations of a sand mining scam stating that the entire process was centralised for the highest degree of transparency.
Adding that the TDP is indiscriminately wasting public funds, Jagan raised concerns about the Polavaram Irrigation Project.
“The first mistake was overstepping jurisdiction to take over the construction from the central government. After that, for your corrupt agenda, you fixed the prices and started building coffer dams before the spillway.” Noting that it would only lead to further wastage, he accused the TDP of partaking in corrupt practices with no responsibility.
“They do all this in the Assembly, but won’t appoint me as the Leader of the Opposition,” he lamented. Jagan claimed that the TDP was scared he would have the right to talk if appointed as the LoP.
Taking special note of the Land Titling Act, Jagan expressed deep disappointment. “It was a revolutionary act that would ensure nobody had their land grabbed from them ever again. It was an act for the people.”
Alleging that the TDP opposed the act as it would curb their crimes, Jagan called the fearmongering unfortunate. “The TDP and its media, like cowards, took a positive act and scared the people with it.”
Notably, the Land Titling Act was one of the key campaigns the TDP ran against the YSRCP. The TDP alleged that the YSRCP would take over all the lands in the state if the law came into force.
Speaking of the protest in Delhi, Jagan appreciated all the support he received from across the political spectrum.
However, he criticised Congress for not extending support. “When Manipur happens, Congress stands with them. I wonder why they won’t stand with us now?” he questioned.
Alleging that Congress has vested interests through the bond between Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Chandrababu Naidu, he said he will carry on his fight for justice.
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula)
