YSRCP Plans Delhi Protest on July 24 to Spotlight Andhra's Lawlessness

YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy announced a peaceful protest in New Delhi on July 24. The demonstration aims to highlight the lawlessness and anarchy in Andhra Pradesh since TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu became Chief Minister. Reddy stated that appointments have been sought with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the deteriorating law-and-order situation.

Reddy shared on social media platform X, "We will be holding a peaceful protest in New Delhi on the 24th of this month July the coming Wednesday. This is to draw the nation's attention to the lawlessness and anarchy that have plagued Andhra Pradesh in the 45 days since the N Chandrababu Naidu regime has come to power." YSRCP MLAs, MPs, and MLCs will participate in the protest.

Allegations of Political Violence

The former Chief Minister accused the TDP, BJP, and Janasena coalition of attempting to undermine democracy in Andhra Pradesh. He vowed that YSRCP would not tolerate such actions. According to Reddy, there have been 36 political murders and 300 murder attempts within two months of Naidu's tenure. He also claimed that 37 individuals have died by suicide due to alleged harassment by the TDP.

On Friday, Reddy visited Vinukonda in Palnadu district to meet the family of Sheik Rashid, a slain party activist. Rashid was murdered on Wednesday night. The YSRCP alleged that Sheik Jilani, the murder suspect, is an active member of TDP—a claim denied by the ruling party. Speaking outside Rashid's home, Reddy accused the police of lying about the murder's motive and failing to act against the perpetrators.

Security Concerns and Vehicle Issues

The opposition party also claimed that Reddy's convoy was halted at 15 places en route to Vinukonda, causing significant delays. They added that only a limited number of vehicles were permitted. Additionally, Reddy had to switch cars as his bulletproof vehicle malfunctioned on Mangalagiri highway. "The TDP government allocated an old bulletproof vehicle to YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. During his visit to Vinukonda, the bulletproof vehicle broke down. The air conditioning in the vehicle was not working. Jagan immediately switched to a private vehicle," said YSRCP in a press release.

The party further alleged that Reddy’s security was suddenly reduced by the NDA government on the eve of his Vinukonda visit. However, TDP rebutted these claims by stating that Reddy's security detail consists of 1,000 guards. "This is more than the security of even the president of the USA. In the interest of rationalising security and prioritising regular police work to benefit common citizens, it has been reduced," a TDP source said.

Disputes Over Security Arrangements

According to TDP, Reddy’s convoy included 10 Toyota Prado vehicles, each costing Rs 2 crore. These cars have now been set aside for visiting foreign dignitaries. The TDP source noted that even Naidu does not use Toyota Prado cars and highlighted that Reddy has been allotted Tata Safari cars similar to those used by Naidu as leader of opposition. "In fact, when Naidu comes to Delhi, he still uses a convoy of Tata Safari cars," added the source.

Reddy demanded an apology from Naidu and urged the state government to protect those who did not vote for TDP. He described Rashid's murder as a deliberate act intended to instill fear across Andhra Pradesh and criticised police actions targeting victims instead of perpetrators.

The YSRCP chief emphasised that conditions in Andhra Pradesh demand President's rule due to escalating violence and lawlessness under Naidu's regime.