VIJAYAWADA: Protesting against the sand scarcity in the State, which allegedly rendered several lakhs of construction workers jobless, forcing some to commit suicide, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu staged 12-hour fast at the Dharna Chowk here on Thursday.
Addressing a large number of people, who came to support his Deeksha, the Leader of the Opposition lambasted the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government for its ‘negligence’ in dealing with the situation and ignoring the suicides of the construction workers.
Stating that no one wants to commit suicide and it will be only a last resort when all hope is lost, Naidu asked the YSRC government why it failed to understand the reason for the sand crisis in the state.
“Why have you created sand crisis, when it was not there in the first place? Is it not for your party men’s selfish motive?” he asked.
Pointing out that 35 lakh families are dependent on the construction sector, he said more and more people are finding it hard to put food on the table. “There are people of 125 trades like mason, carpenter, plumber and transporter, dependent on the construction sector for their livelihood. Even the ordinary provision store is also dependent on it. Sand scarcity today has a cascading effect on all of them,” he explained.
Prevent cross border sand smuggling first: Naidu
Finding fault with the comments of Mines and Geology Minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy that the building workers’ deaths were natural and not suicides, he questioned if anyone in the family of the minister commits suicide, would he make the same comment.
Mocking the measures taken by the government to prevent illegal sale of sand, the TDP chief advised it to first prevent cross border sand smuggling.
“Sand is not available in the State, but Andhra sand is available in plenty in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. Does the government know it?” he asked.
He also found fault with Jagan for making personal remarks and said he too can speak the same language but his upbringing is preventing him from doing so. He also criticised the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for trying to muzzle the media by bringing in GO 2430.
He demanded reintroduction of free sand policy, announcement of Rs 25 lakh ex gratia for the families of the construction workers who committed suicide and payment of Rs10,000 per month to the building workers who were rendered jobless for the past five months due to sand scarcity.
During his concluding remarks of the 12-hour Deeksha, the TDP chief lashed out at several of the newly introduced schemes in place of the old ones in the State.
“Had Chandranna Bima continued today, the families of those who committed suicide, would have got a helping hand,” he observed. Naidu said because of the YSRC ‘wayward’ rule, several of the investors like Ambani and Adani withdrew from AP.
“Even the Singapore government, which came to support the capital city project, was driven away. If the present attitude of the government continues, the youth of the State may not get jobs anywhere,” he said.
Naidu said before elections he warned people against YSRC’s request for one chance and today, people are suffering the shock of touching the live electric wire.
Taking exception to the increased proselytisation in Tirupati, Srisailam and Annavaram, he demanded to know why Jagan had failed to give a declaration in Tirumala temple when the likes of Sonia Gandhi and Abdul Kalam had given.
He described himself as a person above caste and the one whose core strength is social justice. The TDP chief thanked all the political parties which extended their support to his Deeksha.
TDP receives jolt as Avinash joins YSRC
On a day when TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu sat on 12-hour Deeksha in Vijayawada over sand scarcity, the party received a jolt with two of its leaders from Krishna district joining the ruling YSRC.
Telugu Yuvatha president Devineni Avinash and senior leader Kadiyala Buchi Babu joined the YSRC in the presence of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Its Gannavaram MLA Vamsi, who had earlier announced his resignation from the party, launched a scathing attack on Naidu for taking up Deeksha.