Naidu decries 'daylight looting' of public assets, misuse of SC/ST Atrocities Act

Vijayawada: Telugu Desam Party National President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday slammed the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy headed Andhra Pradesh Government for filing 'reverse cases' against former Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao and other leaders instead of acting on their complaints against illegal mining in the Kondapalli reserve forests in G Konduru Mandal in Krishna district.

Mr. Naidu asked how the SC, ST atrocities case could be filed against Mr. Umamaheswara Rao when he was addressing a press conference at the mining site and later remained inside his vehicle for over 9 hours following an attack by anti-social elements.

The ruling party behaved atrociously and unlawfully by first launching the attack and then filing 'illegal reverse cases' against Mr Uma with the help of police.

The TDP Chief called on the family members of arrested Devineni Uma at Gollapudi in Krishna district and assured them of total support from the party.

Addressing a press conference on the occasion, he had taken strong objection over filing false cases, alleging that the YSRCP regime was using the SC, ST (prevention of Atrocities) Act to harass opposition leaders on the one side and launching non-stop atrocities on the SC, STs on the other side.

Mr.Naidu termed it shameful on the part of the Chief Minister and the DGP to misuse the SC, STs (prevention of Atrocities) Act to victimise the opposition TDP leaders.

The YSRCP regime was trying to use threats and fear in order to suppress all voices of opposition.

Under this rule, the mining mafia was exploiting the forest wealth and cutting down trees that were needed to make world renowned Kondapalli toys.

Mr Naidu described the attack on the TDP leaders as an attack on public assets and environmental

protection. The mafia was bent on turning Kondapalli forests into an ecological disaster but the Government and officials were not taking any action, he slammed, adding that it was not a loss to the TDP but to the people of the state only.

The members of the TDP fact-finding were being placed under house arrests to prevent them from visiting the mining site. The police were giving lame excuses of Coronavirus cases in that place, he flayed.

The former Chief Minister demanded that the YSRCP Government constitute a committee with senior officers to take suitable action against the mining mafia. Otherwise, the TDP would complain to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and move the Courts, he warned.

Even senior police officers were turning into puppets in the hands of 'psycho CM'. The NGT confirmed illegal mining in Visakhapatnam agency and ordered a high level probe, he reminded.(UNI)