Law & Order in AP Deteriorating: Jagan

YSRCP chief and former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy today condemned the arrest of party leader Vallabhaneni Vamsi Mohan, calling it a reflection of the "worsening law and order situation" in the State.

Speaking to the media after visiting Vamsi at the Vijayawada sub-jail, Jagan accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of conspiring against Vamsi to orchestrate latter's arrest.

Jagan raised questions regarding the legitimacy of the charges against Vamsi. He said that Vamsi's name did not appear in the original complaint filed by the TDP. He also said that Sathyavardhan, a former TDP worker, had testified that Vamsi had done nothing wrong, and that the attack on the SC leader was orchestrated by TDP leader Pattabhi and his followers.

Jagan said that the case against Vamsi was reopened after the TDP came to power, and so that it was clear that it was just vendetta by the ruling party. He slammed Naidu for filing "false" allegations, including claims that the TDP office had been set on fire and that the office site belonged to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

"Neither was the TDP office set on fire, nor did the office sites belong to the SCs and STs," Jagan said.

He accused the TDP of filing non-bailable charges against Vamsi, preventing him from obtaining bail for several months.

Jagan also said that 44 other YSRCP leaders had been similarly targeted with false cases.

Jagan took the opportunity to address what he saw as a pattern of anti-democratic actions by the ruling TDP. He cited recent incidents, such as the vice-chairman post elections in Piduguralla and Tuni, where the TDP allegedly undermined YSRCP victories by making arbitrary claims.

He also accused the TDP of using the police as a tool to suppress democracy and intimidate opponents. "The police should not salute Chandrababu but should honour the three lions on their caps," Jagan said, criticizing the "misuse of power" by the ruling party.

Expressing confidence in the future of the YSRCP, Jagan said that the party would eventually come to power. He vowed that when that happened, the YSRCP would ensure that those who had committed injustices would be held accountable.

"Those who have wronged will face justice, whether they retire or hide," he declared, and said that the day would come when both people and God would punish those responsible for the corruption and injustices under the current government.