YSRCP interrupts Andhra Governor's speech over 'political killings'

Amaravati, July 22 (IANS) Opposition YSR Congress Party on Monday disrupted the Andhra Pradesh Governor’s address to the joint session of the state Assembly and Legislative Council and later staged a walkout to protest against ‘political killings’ and deteriorating law and situation in the state. 

Raising slogans of ‘stop political killings’, ‘save democracy’ and ‘we want justice’, the YSRCP members interrupted Governor S. Abdul Nazeer’s speech on the first day of the Budget session.

As soon as the Governor began his speech, the opposition MLAs and MLCs, who were wearing black scarves, were on their feet to express their dissent over politically motivated killings in the state. He continued reading his speech amid the uproar.

After continuing slogan shouting for some time, YSRCP members staged a walkout.

Earlier, former Chief Minister and YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy along with YSRCP MLAs and MLCs reached the state Assembly wearing black scarves.

Chanting slogans of ‘Save democracy’, Jagan and the YSRCP legislators marched towards the Assembly. However, they were stopped by the police at the Assembly gate.

The police personnel snatched and tore the placards and papers held by the YSRCP legislators. Jagan Mohan Reddy confronted the police personnel, questioning who had given them such authority.

The YSRCP legislators expressed intense displeasure at the behaviour of the police. Jagan stated that the police's high-handedness would not persist forever and issued a stern warning for them to remember their duty to protect democracy, not to undermine it.

Highlighting the insignia of lions on police caps, Jagan stated that they symbolise the protection of democracy, not its destruction. He questioned the police's right to seize and tear the papers held by the MLAs and MLCs, demanding accountability for their actions.

Jagan Mohan Reddy met Governor Abdul Nazeer at Raj Bhavan in Vijayawada on Sunday evening to demand an investigation by Central government agencies into the atrocities of the TDP-led government.

The YSRCP president alleged that Constitutional institutions have failed in the state and the administration has been paralysed. There is no protection for the life, limb and dignity of the people. Leaders and workers of the ruling party, with their barbaric and inhumane activities, are spreading widespread fear among the people of the state, he said.

He said that after coming to power, the TDP-led coalition government immediately targeted those who didn't support them in the recently concluded elections. He informed that TDP has targeted the known sympathisers of the YSRCP party and started terrorising them by humiliating, beating and even killing them.

Jagan told the Governor that YSRCP activist Rashid was brutally hacked to death in Vinukonda on July 17. This incident happened in the middle of a busy street, and surprisingly the police were nearby when it happened. He said even YSRCP elected representatives to Parliament and the state Assembly, as well as candidates who contested the elections, have no protection.

"On Thursday, in Punganur, Chittoor district, TDP mobs attempted to murder our party's Lok Sabha floor leader, MP P.V. Midhun Reddy, who had gone to meet former MP N.Reddeppa," said Reddy.

He said in just one month of the new government, 36 people have been murdered, 300 murder attempts have been made, 35 people have committed suicide due to TDP harassment, 560 private properties have been destroyed, 490 government properties have been vandalized, and nearly 2,700 families have left their villages due to these atrocities. Additionally, there have been over 1,050 incidents of violence and attacks, he added.