VIJAYAWADA: Condemning the remarks of Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' in Vijayawada on Friday, the State BJP leaders demanded that the actor-turned-politician be immediately arrested.
BJP MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju and MLC PVN Madhav said that they would complain to Governor ESL Narasimhan seeking action against Balakrishna.
Addressing a press conference in Visakhapatnam, Vishnu Kumar Raju lambasted Balakrishna for 'personally attacking the PM'. "Who is Balakrishna to point the finger at the Prime Minister and that too in cheap language? We demand that he be arrested. We shall meet Governor ESL Narasimhan on Saturday seeking action him," they said. Another BJP leader PVN Madhav was also present.
They alleged that Balakrishna had a history of 'mental illness' due to which he had shot at a film producer in the past, injuring him seriously.
Dubbing the one-day 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu as a political stunt, the BJP leaders found fault with Naidu for trying to project his own failures as Centre's.
Earlier in the day, another BJP leader and veteran film actor UV Krishnam Raju held a press conference in the port city and found fault with Naidu for taking a sudden U-turn on the special category status (SCS) issue.
In Vijayawada, party official spokesperson V Satya Murthy also demanded an unconditional apology from Balakrishna, failing which the BJP would register a legal case against him. "It is not correct on the part of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leadership and CM Naidu Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to criticise PM Modi. If the Centre had not supported AP, as claimed by the TDP in the last four years, how could the State register higher growth rate than the country and occupy the third position in the developmental index?" he questioned. He also sought an answer from the State government as to how it had spent the Central funds sanctioned so far.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have criticised the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha'. Ridiculing the day-long hunger strike by CM Chandrababu Naidu, YSRC MLA RK Roja said that the fast was a big farce, which was aimed at deriving political mileage. The YSRC leaders also said that the Deeksha ended up as an 'extravagant entertainer' as it cost the exchequer Rs 8 crore.
Congress leaders too termed the CM's protest an event. "TDP State president K Kala Venkat Rao telephoned me and invited to participate in the Deeksha. Later, APNGOs president P Ashok Babu sent a message asking me to make it convenient to attend the event. It wasn't a Deeksha, as Ashok Babu said. It was just an event of self-deception," AP Congress Committee (APCC) president N Raghuveera Reddy observed.
CPM State secretary P Madhu said that CM Naidu misused his power and official machinery for political gain. "Why did the CM, who was earlier against protesting in Andhra Pradesh, stage a protest in the State?" he wondered.
Panel quote
Who is Balakrishna to point the finger at the Prime Minister and that too in cheap language? We demand that he be arrested P Vishnu Kumar Raju,