Andhra Minister Demands Apology from Jagan Mohan Reddy Over Alleged Misconduct with Policewoman

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V. Anitha on Thursday demanded that YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy apologise for his party leaders’ alleged misbehaviour with a woman Sub-Inspector during his visit to the District Jail at Ampolu in Srikakulam. She said strict action would be taken against those responsible.

“The manner in which the woman Sub-Inspector was treated while she was discharging her official duties is condemnable,” she said.

Referring to Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to former Minister Seediri Appalaraju, who is lodged in the jail, Ms. Anitha said there are prescribed prison rules and meeting timings that every visitor must follow. “If Mr. Jagan genuinely wanted to meet Mr. Appalaraju, he should have visited the jail during the authorised mulakat hours. Permission was given between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Why did he arrive at the jail only after 5 p.m.? What does that indicate?” she asked.

Ms. Anitha alleged that the former Chief Minister deliberately prolonged the journey of nearly 120 km from Visakhapatnam airport to Srikakulam to stage a political show of strength and divert attention from the inauguration of the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram. She claimed he had no real intention of meeting the former Minister.

Meanwhile, TDP MLAs Gondu Shankar and Gowthu Sireesha accused YSRCP leaders of misbehaving with police personnel during the jail visit. They alleged that Circle Inspector Sanyasi Naidu, Sub-Inspector Pravallika and constable Simhachalam were manhandled by YSRCP cadre. Mr. Simhachalam reportedly fainted and was admitted to RIMS, they said.

Addressing the media in Srikakulam, Mr. Shankar alleged that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was indulging in diversion politics because he was unable to accept the success of the NDA government. In Palasa, Ms. Gowthu Sireesha said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy should have consoled the family of the victim of the road accident in which Mr. Appalaraju’s son was allegedly involved.

The YSRCP, in response, alleged that the coalition government was imposing stringent restrictions on the tours of Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, claiming that the ruling alliance was “concerned about his increasing popularity among the public”.

YSRCP spokespersons Putha Siva Shankar, Are Shyamala and Mancha Nagamalliswari accused the government of using police restrictions, advance notices and house arrests to prevent party leaders and workers from taking part in his programmes. They alleged that the authorities had limited his convoy to eight vehicles and issued notices to YSRCP leaders ahead of the visit. They claimed Mr. Appalaraju had been arrested in a fabricated case, after “an ordinary road accident was portrayed as an attempted murder”.

The leaders said it was surprising that the government was apprehensive about a former Chief Minister travelling across the State and interacting with the public. They pointed out that when Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was the Leader of the Opposition, the previous YSRCP government had allowed him to travel freely despite political differences.

They said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s programmes over the past two years had been peaceful and that the party had cooperated with the police. They alleged that the government had failed to provide adequate security and that attempts were being made to provoke confrontations.

Accusing the ruling coalition of using false cases and arrests to divert attention from governance failures and to silence backward class leaders, they said such measures would not weaken his support base. They sought adequate police protection for his tours and asked the government to end what they called political vendetta.

YSRCP Amadalavalasa in-charge Chintada Ravikumar alleged that some police officials instigated a protest, though YSRCP cadre were waiting patiently to welcome Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy.