Penukonda (Sri Sathya Sai district): BC, EWS welfare, handlooms and textiles S Savitha launched a scathing attack on YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders, accusing them of behaving like terrorists and inciting their cadres to violence and intimidation.

Speaking to the media at her camp office here on Saturday, the minister alleged that YSRCP workers were being provoked by their leadership to attack the public with slogans like ‘cut them down’ and ‘beat them up.” She directly targeted former minister Perni Nani, accusing him of stealing ration rice meant for the poor and referring to him as someone who “filled his stomach by robbing the hungry.”

Savitha said that the YSRCP leadership failed to understand that power is not permanent and, during their five-year rule, violated laws and amassed illegal wealth. Now that their misdeeds are coming to light, they are filled with fear and insecurity, she added.

She stated that with the fear of imprisonment looming, the YSRCP leaders are taking out their frustration at not only on the coalition government but also at officials and the people. “People gave them just 11 seats because they saw through their corruption and betrayal,” she said, adding that their frustration is now manifesting in reckless, inflammatory rhetoric.

Savitha cited recent controversial remarks by YSRCP leaders threatening violence. She accused the YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy of justifying such threats and reminded the public of an incident where a Dalit party worker was allegedly run over by a car under YSRCP’s regime.

She also reiterated accusations against Perni Nani for allegedly diverting 4,000 bags of ration rice stored in a rented Civil Supplies Corporation warehouse, a matter that is currently under court investigation.

The BC welfare minister criticised a YSRCP leader of Nellore district for using abusive language against a woman MLA and said that the party is using its workers as pawns for selfish political motives. She warned YSRCP workers that believing in such leaders’ words would only cause them harm.

She said that coalition leaders and workers will not be provoked and will remain calm and focused on state development. She said the people are no longer in a mood to tolerate the words or actions of YSRCP leaders.