VIJAYAWADA: Condemning the ‘arrests’ of BJP leaders, party state president Somu Veerraju lashed out at the police for taking some leaders into custody and confining others to their residences on Thursday.
Somu demanded a statement as to why the police and the state government was restricting the BJP from taking up various programmes, and asked if there was an Emergency imposed in Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking to the media from his residence in Tadepalli, the BJP state president expressed his anger over police forces being deployed at his residence and ‘arrests’ of other leaders.
While the police anticipated that the BJP leaders would lay siege to the DGP’s office, Somu claimed that the leaders went to the DGP’s office only to have a dialogue regarding the top cop’s statement regarding the alleged involvement of BJP leaders in temple attacks.
“It is shameful on the part of the government to arrest BJP leaders and restrict them. I warn the government that the BJP won’t back down. It is an act of cowardice by the government to use police force,” the BJP leader said.
It may be noted that the BJP demanded the DGP to retract his statement that BJP leaders were involved in temple attacks and had given time till January 20.
With the deadline elapsing, the BJP planned to stage a protest at the DGP’s office.Somu asserted that the BJP would undertake the proposed Ratha Yatra from Kapilatheertham to Ramatheertham from February 4, as announced.
Somu visits PS, seeks release of leaders
On Thursday evening, Somu Veerraju went to Mangalagiri police station and questioned the police as to why the party’s leaders including MLC PVN Madhav were taken into custody. When the police said that some cases under IPC sections 143, 353, 290 and others for ‘preventing police from discharging duties’, Somu said that the BJP has not announced ‘Chalo DGP Office’ as claimed by the police in the notices served.
BJP welcomes HC verdict on local polls
Welcoming the High Court’s decision clearing the way for local body elections, BJP demanded that the earlier unanimous seats of MPTC and ZPTC be scrapped by the state election commission.
The party released a statement noting that it was ready for the polls, “We demand the SEC to rectify the mistakes it had done about unanimous seats in haste. We also appeal to the government to bury the hatchet with the SEC,” it said.