PALNADU: In the manufactured scenario in Palnadu, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has been making numerous accusations ranging from the improbable to the fallacious against the State government. The situation in Palnadu has been the product of systemic and concocted propaganda by the TDP. From claiming that TDP members were attacked to falsely stating that people have been evacuated in Guntur district, it seems that there is no bottom to this well of propaganda. However, if memory is refreshed these antics would not come as a surprise. These claims seem to be coming from the handful of TDP MLAs.
In the infamous limestone mining case against former Gurajala MLA Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao, the TDP resorted to filing false cases against the petitioner TGV Krishna Reddy. Among the many rotten apples of the TDP is Chintamaneni Prabhakar against whom about 50 cases are pending. During the unfortunate incident at Tuni, where a train was set afire, the then Chief Minister Naidu was quick to blame the opposition without earnestly investigating the matter and reaching a conclusion. Naidu has also considerable experience in making false promises and jumping ship. After failing to deliver on his “New Andhra Pradesh” campaign and then jumping ship by quitting the NDA only to seek special status and have it denied. Naidu is among those few who believe that it is right to take advantage of a crisis for their own benefit. Perhaps what makes the TDP unique is that it is adept at creating a crisis too. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones, but it seems this proverbial knowledge is not known to some.
In Andhra Pradesh, Naidu has fostered insecurity and discrimination on the grounds of caste, religion and political affiliation. Under his government, Janmabhoomi Committees had usurped the role of a constitutional body like the village panchayat and replaced it with an ultra vires organisation consisting of TDP cadre. This only led to a futile waste of government expenditure. More insidiously, the Janmabhoomi Committees were used to decide as to whom welfare schemes would be allotted. It effectively denied the welfare schemes to detractors of the TDP government and YSRC cadre. Furthermore, these committees were used to delete the names of beneficiaries of schemes and file false cases against them. It is believed that almost 10 lakh beneficiaries had been denied access to basic services, including old age pension.
The YSRC government under YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has pledged to clean up the system for good. Navaratnalu of the State government are already being delivered to the homes of beneficiaries and the rest have a fixed schedule within which they will be implemented. Not to mention that all the schemes are being delivered in mission mode. The writing is on the wall for Naidu and his TDP, without distractions he will not be able to prevent the YSRC from winning the hearts of the people of AP and in due course the TDP cadre will wither away. Hence, the need to manufacture a crisis.
Coming to the issue at hand, it can be said with complete surety that those who have migrated in Palnadu have done so due to personal family feuds, and not due to political violence as has been falsely claimed. The government has taken tough action against those who are instigating these protests and hampering development and peace in the region.
I would like to challenge Naidu to travel with me to these numerous villages and assess first hand the true sentiments and concerns of the people. Let us together find out who truly subjugated them to political violence and unrest. I suggest that both the parties form 10-member teams and in the presence of the Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission tour the villages and ascertain the true cause of this unrest. I am sure that the finding will point out that people have been empowered more in three months of YSRC government than in five years of the TDP regime, and I say this not as a politician but as someone who has made sincere efforts to improve the lives of the people.
The Chief Minister has achieved many milestones in three months, including release of water from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, which has generated employment in the region. We must put aside our differences and look towards generating a cordial atmosphere in our State. It is unfortunate that innocent people have become pawns in a game of misinformation and propaganda played by some with vested interests. Hopefully, the opposition will be a responsible opposition and will accept my offer for an inspection of these villages.
— Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, MP