In the 'manufactured' scenario in Palnadu, Chandrababu Naidu has been making numerous claims ranging from the improbable to the fallacious. The situation in Palnadu has been the product of systemic and concocted propaganda by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
From claiming that TDP members were attacked to falsely claiming that people have been evacuated in Guntur district, it seems that there is no bottom to this well of propaganda. However, if memory is refreshed, these antics would not come as a surprise.
Perhaps what makes Chandrababu Naidu unique is that he is adept at creating a crisis and try to gain advantage out of it. When we look at the law order situation during his tenure, during the unfortunate incident at Tuni, where a train was set alight, the then Chief Minister was quick to blame the opposition without earnestly investigating the matter and reaching a conclusion.
In another incident, when Jagan Mohan Reddy, the then Leader of Opposition leader was in the middle of his year-long padayatra, he was attacked with a knife at the Visakhapatnam Airport. Instead of investigating and finding out the truth behind the crime, Chandrababu Naidu was too eager to come on a live telecast and mock the incident as a small issue.
People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, but it seems like this proverbial knowledge is not known to some.
When we look at the recent claims by Chandrababu, they seem a bit too rich coming from the handful of TDP MLAs who are not even from the Palnadu area or from Guntur district. Even on the day of high drama, none of the ex-MLAs from Palnadu area participated and in fact, they have been absconding from public view since the election results came out. This was due to the anger that the common public have on these ex-MLAs because of various bribes they have extorted from them, starting with matters of basic permissions such as land conversions.
In the infamous limestone mining case against former Gurajala MLA Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao, the TDP resorted to filing false cases against the petitioner TGV Krishna Reddy. They forced the police to harass anyone who have stood against illegal mining. In this incident, cases were filed on a few police officers for their overenthusiasm in supporting the people in power.
In Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu has fostered insecurity and discrimination on the grounds of caste, religion and political affiliation. Under his government, Janmabhoomi committees had usurped the role of a constitutional body like the village panchayat and replaced it with an organization whose offices were occupied by his henchmen and TDP cadre. This only led to a futile wastage of government expenditure.
More insidiously, however, the Janmabhoomi committees were used to decide as to whom welfare scheme would be provided to. It effectively denied these welfare schemes to detractors of the TDP government and YSRCP cadre.
The YSRCP government under Jagan Mohan Reddy has pledged to clean up the system for good. Most 'Navaratnalu' schemes of the current government are already being delivered to the homes of the beneficiaries and the rest have a fixed schedule within which they will be implemented. Not to mention that all the scheme are being delivered in mission mode.
The writing is on the wall for Chandrababu Naidu, and without distractions, the TDP will not be able to prevent the YSRCP from winning the hearts and minds of the people of Andhra Pradesh and in due course of time, the TDP cadre will wither away. Hence, the need to manufacture a crisis.
Coming to the issue at hand, it can be said with complete surety that those who have migrated from Palnadu have done so due to personal family feuds, and not due to political violence as has been counterfactually claimed. The government has taken tough action against those who are instigating these protests and hampering development and peace in the area.
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the Director General of Police that the police are not to be swayed by the pressure of any political group and that the appointment of officers shall be done independently and without political interference. In fact, on the ground, very few cases of disturbances have been reported.
I would like to challenge Naidu to stop with the political demagoguery and travel with me to these numerous villages and assess first hand the true sentiments and concerns of their residents. Let us together find out as to who truly oppressed them and subjugated them to political violence and unrest. I suggest that both parties form ten-person teams and in the presence of the Andhra Pradesh State Human Right Commision, survey these villages and ascertain the true cause of this unrest.
I am sure that the finding will point out that people have been empowered more in three months of the YSRCP government than in five years of the TDP government, and I say this not as a politician, but as someone who has invested blood and sweat to improve the lives of the people. Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has in three months, achieved many milestones including releasing water from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, which has generated employment in the region. The lift irrigation project in Varikapudisela will soon be a reality and will be a jewel in the crown of Andhra Pradesh.
We must put aside our differences and look towards generating a cordial atmosphere in our state. If politics must be played, then it is most unfortunate that innocent people become pawns in what has become, for some, a game of misinformation and propaganda. Hopefully the opposition will be a responsible opposition and will accept my offer for an inspection of these villages.
Lavu Krishna Devarayulu is a YSRCP MP from Narasaraopet. Views expressed are the author's own.