Jagan protests at Jantar Mantar against ‘political violence’ in AP

New Delhi : YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held a protest against alleged political violence in Andhra Pradesh at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday.

Apart from the YSRCP members consisting of about 100 people, eight other members from the INDIA bloc including Akhilesh Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Priyanka Chaturvedi, the TMC’s Nadimul Haq and the AIADMK’s M Thambidurai, one representative of AAP and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha expressed their solidarity with him, saw the videos shown by them and the pictures of the alleged violence and said that political violence in any form was not acceptable and no one should indulge in it.

The interesting aspect of it is that they did not endorse that large-scale violence was taking place in AP nor did they say that there was need for President’s rule in the State.

Akhilesh Yadav said those in power should maintain simplicity, listen to others and not take their lives.

Raut called for an independent investigation, saying a special team should be sent to AP to conduct an independent inquiry into the alleged brutal attacks on opposition party workers. None from any national party including the Congress was present at the venue of dharna.

This led to speculation that Jagan was looking towards INDIA bloc for support and was even contemplating to join them. However, this appears to be not so easy since the APCC headed by his sister Y S Sharmila had taken a strong anti-Jagan stand. She had not only campaigned against Jagan and his party but also alleged that he failed as Chief Minister in every respect and ruined the State.

On Wednesday she again criticised Jagan for holding dharna in Delhi. She asked will he also hold a dharna in Delhi demanding justice in case of the murder of his paternal uncle Y S Vivekananda Reddy? Sharmila questioned why he did not hold dharna in Delhi for special status.

Reacting to the dharna, TDP MPs accused Jagan Mohan Reddy of “diversion politics”. Party MP B Nagaraju said, “Jagan has come to Delhi for diversion politics. The Jagan government was engaged in targeted violence on TDP members during its tenure.”

They said he should explain what was the torture of Dr Sudhakar in Visakhapatnam? Why was he stripped on road and branded as insane leading to his suicide.

Similarly, they said Jagan should answer what was the arrest and use of third degree method against their own party MP Raghurama Krishnam Raju and preventing him from visiting his constituency for nearly three years? What was the attack on TDP headquarters in Mangalagiri and vandalising it? They pointed out that Jagan began his rule in 2019 with the destruction of Praja Vedika.

Interestingly close to Jagan’s dharna camp, Madan Mohan who has been alleging illegal relationship between his wife Shanthi and Rajya Sabha MP V Vijayasai Reddy also held a parallel dharna demanding justice and distributed pamphlets.