VIJAYAWADA: Upset over denial of permission to ‘Save Amaravati’ protests, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday accused DGP Goutam Sawang of acting in a biased and discriminatory manner.
In a press release, he alleged that while YSR Congress leaders were being granted permission to stage protests and take out rallies, the TDP leaders and others were being denied permission. Section 144 of the CrPC or Section 30 of the Police Act were not imposed in places where protests were organised by the YSRC, but they were imposed in Amaravati, where farmers were staging protests in a peaceful manner, he said.
He accused the police of violating the Constitutional provision of the right to protest peacefully. "Is it not a violation of civil rights to forcefully obstruct women from going to the Durga temple?" Naidu demanded to know. The TDP chief said the DGP would have to bear the consequences, legally too, for disregarding the law and civil rights.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Police Officers Association took exception to Naidu’s comments and demanded that he apologise to the DGP and the police department. In a press release, the association’s honorary president N Chandrasekhar Reddy asked if it was proper for a former chief minister to criticise the DGP, whom he said was sincere and honest.
He added that when Sawang was serving in Vijayawada during the tenure of the TDP government, he was hailed as an upright and honest officer, and now, the very person who praised him was criticising him.
No one will respect you: Police Officers Association
Police Officers Association president Chandrasekhar Reddy asked Naidu to explain what was done for the welfare of the police during the TDP regime. "DGP Sawang has taken unprecedented measures for the welfare of police personnel. Criticising him is nothing but spitting towards the sky. If such insults are repeated, no police official will respect Naidu," he said.