Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy participated in an event in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada on Tuesday to spread awareness amongst the women of the state about the Disha app, a women’s safety application. The event was aimed at encouraging women to download the Disha app. According to the government, the state has expedited investigation in cases related to atrocities against women and is taking appropriate steps to direct these cases through the legal system with the required evidence.
However, TDP National General Secretary and MLC Nara Lokesh on Tuesday slammed CM Jagan and claimed that the event was a 'publicity stunt' in the name of Disha App. He also stated that the app was unveiled in 2020 itself when the Disha Act was announced. He also pointed out that the Act has still not come into force.
“Today's mass download of Disha App was nothing but a wicked attempt to divert the public attention from the 'Sadhana Deeksha' launched by former Chief Minister and TDP National President N Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati,” said Lokesh. A statement from his office also mentioned that the event is happening at a time when the accused in the Seethanagaram sexual assault case haven’t yet been caught by the police.
On the night of June 19, a nurse who had gone out with her fiancé to the Krishna Ghat in Guntur’s Seethanagaram was allegedly sexually assaulted by two unidentified men. The woman mentioned in her complaint to the police that her fiancé was tied up by the men and that they raped her. Despite it being 10 days after the incident, the police are yet to nab the accused.
Speaking to TNM, Tadepalli Circle Inspector Ankammarao, under whose jurisdiction the case was reported, said, “We are still investigating. There is absolutely no update in this case, it will take more time.”
“The Chief Minister is issuing fake advertisements about the Disha app downloads while his regime has failed to arrest the miscreants even after 10 days of the ghastly incident. How can Jagan Mohan Reddy rescue crores of sisters and women in the state when he could not do justice for his own sisters, Sharmila and Suneeta?” asked Lokesh.
Lokesh demanded that the Chief Minister explain to the people as to why his government failed to prevent the Seethanagaram gangrape which happened within close vicinity of the CM's own residence in Tadepalli. “In the name of the Disha App, the government is only releasing crores of rupees worth advertisements to its own newspaper and media,” added Lokesh.