VIJAYAWADA: While the ruling YSRC leaders claimed that some vested interests were responsible for violence in Amalapuram, the opposition parties blamed the government responsible for the arson and tension. Strongly condemning the violence during the protests against the move to rename Konaseema district after BR Ambedkar, YSRC general secretary Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said the decision was taken in the wake of demands from various organisations considering the aspirations of the people and added that all the political parties supported it.
Speaking to the media at the YSRC central office on Tuesday, Sajjala said Ambedkar was a great leader and the State government doesn’t have any political interests in naming a district after him. He said some vested interests were responsible for the violence and the issue would be resolved soon.Describing the violence in an otherwise peaceful Konaseema unfortunate, TDP supremo and Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu called upon the peace-loving people of the region to maintain calm and tranquility in this critical time.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the TDP chief strongly condemned the manner in which the TDP was being blamed for the apparent failure of the government. It was wrong on the part of Home Minister Taneti Vanitha to make baseless allegations in a sensitive issue. He asserted that the government and the police were totally responsible for the tension in the peaceful Konaseema.
Condemning the violence in Amalapuram, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan called upon the people to maintain restraint and cooperate with the district authorities in restoring normalcy. Asserting that all those having faith in democracy will honour Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, he described it as unfortunate to make the Dalit icon the centre for conflict and held the State government responsible for it.
Accusing the government of failing in maintaining law and order in Konaseema, he felt that after failing to develop the State, the YSRC regime was creating unnecessary troubles to cover up its failures on all fronts.Taking exception to the charge of the Home Minister that Jana Sena was responsible for the violence in Amalapuram, he wanted her not to attribute the in efficiency on part of the YSRC government in maintenance of law and order to Jana Sena.
Accusing the YSRC government of dragging the name of Ambedkar into the controversy, BJP MLC PVN Madhav said escalation of tension over renaming the newly formed Konaseema after Ambedkar was unfortunate.