Vinukonda murder, Punganur clash spark political slugfest

VIJAYAWADA: The brutal murder of Sheik Rashid, who is said to be a YSRC activist, in Vinukonda by Sheikh Jilani, reportedly a TDP worker, on Wednesday, and the clashes between the two parties in Punganur constituency during the visit of MP PV Midhun Reddy on Thursday have kicked up a political storm in the State.

After news of the murder emerged, YSRC president and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the TDP of resorting to barbaric acts only to oppress the YSRC. Questioning the absence of law and order, he posted on X, “Within a month-and-a-half of the TDP forming government, Andhra Pradesh has become the address of murders, rapes, attacks and vandalism by political parties. Yesterday’s Vinukonda murder is the culmination of this. This atrocious incident on the road is a shame for the government.”

Later in the day, Jagan shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the severe atrocities that have taken place in Andhra Pradesh over the past 45 days under the TDP-led coalition government.

Meanwhile, Minister for HRD and IT Nara Lokesh accused the YSRC chief of making false allegations, and said his government was accountable to the people. He posted on X, “YS Jagan’s talk about violence, destruction, anarchy, injustice, illegality, and corruption is irritating. It has been more than a month since those dark days in the State when the government committed terrorism by blaming the victims. Jagan, who lost his existence, is trying to stand again on false foundations with his patented fake campaigns.”

He further said, “Your hypocritical plays of committing crimes and pushing them back on someone else are over. We are committed to protecting people. No incident is ignored and no accused is left out. It is not possible to sit in Banglore’s Yelahanka Palace and carry out conspiracies here. This is not a government that fears your warnings, this is a public government that is accountable to the people and their lives,’’ Lokesh added.

In his letter to PM Modi, Jagan raised concerns over the “complete collapse of law and order in the State” and sought investigation by Central government agencies into the incidents that were reported in the State after the elections. He also requested the Prime Minister for an appointment at the earliest to appraise him of the details.

Stating that Constitutional institutions have failed, and the administration has been paralysed, Jagan wrote, “There is no protection to life, limb and dignity of the people. Leaders and workers of the ruling party, with their barbaric and inhumane activities, are spreading widespread fear among the people of the state.”

Accusing the TDP-led NDA government of targeting those who didn’t support them in the recently concluded elections, the former Chief Minister said, “In addition to personal attacks and vandalism, they have caused severe damage to government properties.”

Citing the killing of the YSRC activist in Vinukonda and the ‘attempt to murder’ on YSRC MP PV Midhun Reddy, Jagan noted that both incidents happened nearby of police presence. “This is the classic example of the apathy of police towards law-and-order issues. With this attitude of the police, TDP goons are emboldened to perpetuate these barbaric and inhuman acts as if they were permitted to do so,” he said.

Alleging that the Constitution, the law, and the police system are all non-functional, the YSRC chief said, “For the past 40-45 days, the State has been governed under a de facto “Red Book” constitution, effectively handing over the control to political goons, rapists, and those who commit atrocities against children.” Anarchy has become order of the day in the State instead of governance, he added.

“In just one month of the new government, 31 people have been murdered, 300 murder attempts have been made, 35 people have committed suicide due to TDP harassment, 560 private properties have been destroyed, 490 government properties have been vandalized, and nearly 2,700 families have left their villages due to these atrocities. Additionally, there have been over 1,050 incidents of violence and attacks. This reflects the state of affairs in our state under the present dispensation, who are not at all inclined to maintain law and order,” Jagan wrote.