VIJAYAWADA: Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has issued legal notices to two vernacular newspapers for publishing false and defamatory reports about the agreement between the Andhra Pradesh Government and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
In his legal notices, the YSRC chief has demanded an unconditional apology, which should be prominently published on the front page of those newspapers.
The notices state that the publications have misrepresented judicial proceedings in the United States involving multinational corporate entities, including Gautam Adani, to falsely link Jagan to bribery and corruption. The baseless allegations have caused significant damage to his personal and political reputation, the notices read.
The notices emphasize that the agreement with SECI was entirely transparent and aimed at benefiting the people of Andhra Pradesh. SECI, a Government of India entity, offered power at the lowest tariff of Rs 2.49 per unit with significant cost advantages, including a waiver of interstate transmission charges. This agreement, approved after thorough regulatory scrutiny by the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) and the Ministry of Power, resulted in savings of Rs 4,420 crore annually and over Rs 1 lakh crore in 25 years for the State.
The legal notices further stated the two vernacular newspapers are publishing politically motivated stories driven by their alleged allegiance to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its leader N Chandrababu Naidu. They claim the newspapers are acting as media arms of the TDP, spreading malicious and unverified reports to undermine Jagan’s achievements.
The notices also highlight that these defamatory stories were intended to divert attention from the YSRCP regime, which prioritised transparency and fiscal responsibility. They include detailed evidence and supporting documents to refute the claims made by the newspapers. Jagan has called for both vernacular newspapers to issue public apologies prominently displayed on their front pages and digital platforms.
He has also warned that continued publication of defamatory content will lead to legal proceedings to hold the publications accountable.