The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has called for a bandh (shutdown) in Andhra Pradesh today over attacks on its offices, for which it blamed the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy regime. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu called the attacks “state sponsored terrorism”.
He demanded a through inquiry on the attacks at TDP state headquarters at Mangalagiri in Guntur and its offices in several other districts, and imposition of President’s Rule in the state by invoking Article 356 of the Constitution.
Naidu alleged that Director General of Police Gautam Sawang had colluded with the chief minister and perpetrated attacks on the TDP cadres in a pre-planned manner.
The TDP chief wrote a letter to Union home minister Amit Shah stating how the law and order collapsed totally in the state under the present regime. In response, Naidu said that Shah assured to look into the matter and asked for making a formal police complaint about the attacks.
Naidu also spoke to Governor Biswa Bhushan Harichandan on phone and complained to him about the attacks by the YSRCP cadres on the TDP offices and leaders.
The attacks took place after TDP spokesman Kommareddy Pattabhi held a press conference and criticised the state government for not taking any action against rampant ganja cultivation in the tribal areas of Visakhapatnam.
Pattabhi found fault with the police for serving notices on a former TDP minister Nakka Ananda Babu, who alleged that certain YSRC leaders were involved in the smuggling of narcotics. In the process of criticising the Jagan government, the TDP spokesman used some foul words against the chief minister.
Pattabhi’s foul-mouthing of Jagan evoked strong protests from YSRCP leaders and cadres, who went on a rampage and attacked the TDP offices in several parts of the state. They also burnt the effigies of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and raised slogans against Pattabhi and Naidu.
“My house has been totally ransacked today. They have done it because I questioned the state government about the dealings of drugs in Andhra Pradesh. Wherever you go in the country, drugs are being supplied from Andhra Pradesh. So, I and the party senior leaders questioned him,” Pattabhi told news agency ANI after the attacks.
YSRCP legislator from Guntur T J R Sudhakar Babu said the TDP leaders had crossed all limits of decency in using foul language against the chief minister. “We don’t mind if the TDP leaders criticize people’s issues and policy issues of the government. But we won’t tolerate if they use abusive language against our leader,” he said.
Meanwhile, DGP Gautam Sawang appealed to the people to maintain restraint. He also said that action will be taken against the perpetrators of violence.
