VIJAYAWADA: Terming the previous five -year term of former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as darker than emergency, with law and order being mocked at and police being used to settle political scores, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said a special wing would be formed to check the hostile social media posts.
The previous YSRC government rewarded the police who toed its line and those who did not were punished to set an example and drive the message down the line, he said while presenting a white paper on the law and order and ganja during 2019-24.
In his methodical and elaborate narration in the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Naidu dealt with the various atrocities committed during the past five years which reversed the good work done by his government between 2014 and 2019. However, all such efforts have come to naught during 2019-24 when the very democratic values were taken hostage for political benefits.
“A dangerous trend of using police force to control the four pillars of democracy-- Legislature, Executive, Judiciary and Media was unleashed. Police officers who colluded with YSRCP leaders were rewarded with focal postings bypassing merit and seniority. Police officers were used in committing illegal activities failing which they were kept in VR (vacancy reserve) for long periods,” he said.
Naidu explained at length the harassment and cases foisted against him and Pawan Kalyan and cited incidents where stones were pelted, and wrongful detention at airports, hotels, etc. He said 17 criminal cases were registered against him and three against Pawan. He listed out criminal cases, and arrests of TDP leaders in the last five years including 66 criminal cases foisted against JC Prabhakar Reddy. He said 18 cases were filed against former speaker Kodela Sivaprasad Rao forcing him to commit suicide.
“Most astonishingly, SC, ST Atrocities (Prevention) cases were booked against SC leader Vangalapudi Anitha for visiting to console a rape victim in Pulivendula,” he said and added everyone is aware of what happened to former MP Raghu Rama Krishna Raju. Regretting that 250 SCs and STs besides 2,027 women were brutally murdered in these five years in various parts of the State, the Chief Minister said that the murder of YS Vivekananda Reddy, the paternal uncle of the Pulivendula MLA, Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been dramatised beyond anyone ’s ima g inat i on and comprehension.
Regretting that the TDP activist, Tota Chandraiah, was hacked to death, Naidu mentioned how Chandraiah sacrificed his life for the sake of TDP by refusing to say ‘Jai Jagan’. He pointed out several such incidents in his nearly hour long power point presentation. He announced that reforms will be introduced in the entire police setup and awareness will be created among the people on new Criminal Laws. By utilising the latest technology, drug and ganja abuse will be controlled. Expressing concern over the damaging and adverse posts on social media, Naidu said a special wing will be formed to regulate social media and warned of the sternest action against anyone posting adverse comments, especially on women.
The Chief Minister began his presentation emphasising how the TDP government and post-state bifurcation NDA government have maintained law and order effectively standing as an example for other States. Naidu said from 2014 to 2019, murders have come down by 15 %, rioting by 51 %, Kidnapping and abductions by 16 %, hurts by 11 %, assaults by 20 %, and robbery by 25 %. He said post state bifurcation, they effectively adopted technology in crime control and maintenance of law and order.
“We strengthened police infrastructure and installed 14,770 CC TV cameras with ANPR, Red Light Violation detection, and Facial Recognition System, which has resulted in a 25% increase in crime detection. Body Worn Cameras have decreased complaints of police misconduct, increasing transparency and accountability, and public trust. Locked House Monitoring System (LHMS) has significantly reduced house burglaries. Mobile Command and Control Centres and Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) have helped in bet ter pol icing,” he elaborated.
Responding positively to the suggestion of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan for an extended season on the Law or Order and how best to make the police department more transparent, accountable, and a model system for the entire country, he said it would be held during the next Assembly session.
