Why Were YSRCP Leaders Prevented from Entering Hindupur?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- YSRCP leaders faced police obstruction in Hindupur amid rising political tensions.
- TDP supporters attacked YSRCP's office, leading to significant damage.
- Political protests ensued, highlighting the strained relationship between parties.
- Law enforcement's role in political conflicts remains a contentious issue.
- Future political discourse in Andhra Pradesh may be affected by ongoing tensions.
Amaravati, Nov 16 (NationPress) Authorities have prevented multiple leaders from the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) from entering Hindupur in the Sri Sathya Sai district, following an incident where Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supporters reportedly attacked the YSRCP office. The police intervention aimed to maintain order amid escalating tensions resulting from a clash on Saturday, triggered by contentious remarks made by a local YSRCP leader about Hindupur MLA and actor Nandamuri Balakrishna.
With Balakrishna visiting Hindupur on Sunday, law enforcement intensified their presence, barring YSRCP leaders from accessing the town. Balakrishna, who is closely related to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, addressed a rally, pledging to expedite development in Hindupur.
Former MLA Kethireddi Peddareddy was detained en route to Hindupur. Meanwhile, Anantha Venkatarami Reddy, president of the YSRCP’s Ananthapur district unit, staged a protest by sitting on the road, denouncing the police's aggressive tactics.
YSRCP leaders questioned the motives of Chief Minister Naidu regarding their desire to visit Hindupur, where their office was vandalized by ‘TDP goons’ on Saturday. YSRCP’s Sathya Sai district president, Ushashri Charan, was also obstructed by the police and protested by sitting on the road, inquiring about the responsibility of YSRCP leaders towards their supporters.
State general secretary Satish Reddy was similarly barred from inspecting the damaged YSRCP office, being halted near Kadiri. The opposition party accused the police of unlawfully detaining B.S. Makbool, the Kadiri constituency coordinator, who was arrested while attempting to reach Hindupur and taken to the Lepakshi police station.
The TDP supporters reacted strongly to a statement from Venu Gopal Reddy, spouse of YSRCP Hindupur in-charge T.N. Deepika Venu Reddy, claiming that the citizens of Hindupur have suffered under a regime based in Hyderabad for the last 40 years. He encouraged the populace to liberate themselves by voting for his wife, Deepika, to bring about genuine development.
In response to Venu Gopal Reddy’s comments, TDP and Balakrishna's supporters stormed the YSRCP office on Saturday evening, damaging property, including a bust of the late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.
The YSRCP organized a protest against this attack, led by Deepika Venu Reddy, demanding legal action against those responsible. As tensions escalated, additional police units from surrounding areas were deployed to avert further conflicts.
YSRCP President and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the violent actions by TDP followers and Balakrishna’s supporters as an affront to democracy. He stated, 'We denounce this savage act. When political factions resort to vandalism and violence against each other, it signifies a profound decay in democratic values. The inaction of law enforcement is equally troubling, indicating a potential misuse of Andhra Pradesh's law and order for political gain by Naidu.'