VIJAYAWADA: TDP supremo and Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has alleged that the State government has miserably failed in taking preventive measures to check the spread of coronavirus and accused it of using the crisis for looting public wealth.
Accusing the ruling YSRC of torturing Opposition leaders, he alleged that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy would not have had a chance to even step out of his house had the previous TDP regime taken similar vindictive measures. Addressing a virtual press conference on Thursday, Naidu said, “False cases are being filed and arrests are being made in utter disregard of human rights, despite COVID-19 threat. Atchannaidu was shifted to jail from hospital in a wheelchair even though he is yet to recover from his second surgery. An Opposition activist was called from Hyderabad to appear before the police, but when he arrived, he was murdered,” he alleged.
“Notices worth `2,000 crore were issued to intimidate and lure TDP leaders. Former minister Sidda Raghava Rao was issued a notice for `800 crore, which led to him eventually joining the YSRC. Amaraja Raja Batteries is the highest tax paying group in AP, but it is now facing oppression and political victimisation,” he alleged. The YSRC accorded priority to its greedy mafia activities in sand, liquor, mining, bleaching powder, testing kits and ambulances,” he alleged.