Politics

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is said to have questioned the Ministers as to why they did not respond to the YSRCP’s attacks against Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, drawing him into political controversies. According to sources, discussing the latest political developments and other issues with the Ministers after the end of the Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat on Tuesday, Naidu accused the YSRCP of defending criminals, and attempting to create divisions among communities for political gain. He asked the Ministers to strongly counter such attempts, and respond proactively to issues of public importance. Referring to an incident in Kurnool district, Naidu alleged that the YSRCP had chosen to support those who forced villagers to socially boycott some individuals. “Attempts to create tensions among communities should be firmly resisted,” he asserted. Naidu said the Ministers should stay informed about developments across all government departments rather than limiting themselves to their respective portfolios. The Ministers should develop a comprehensive understanding of all sectors, and respond to every issue, Naidu said. He further urged the Ministers to counter what he described as misinformation being spread by the YSRCP regarding DSC recruitment and other development initiatives. The Chief Minister announced that Jonnagiri village, where the gold mining area is located, would be called “Swarna Gramam” (Golden Village). The foundation stone for the Kadapa Steel Plant will be laid on July 3, Naidu revealed. The Ministers said the family members of Gade Sai Krishna of Krishnalanka had expressed confidence in the government’s sincerity in investigating the disappearance case. They accused the YSRCP of politicising the issue and attempting to derive mileage from it.

Excise Minister Kollu Ravindra has asserted that the coalition government stands firmly against the politics of murder and vendetta. Addressing a press conference at the Telugu Desam Party central office in Mangalagiri on Saturday, he accused the YSR Congress Party of attempting to politicise a recent personal dispute in Palnadu district to create unrest in the State. The minister said that since its inception, the Telugu Desam Party has prioritised the protection of law and order. “From the days of NTR to Chandrababu Naidu, successive governments have taken strict action against conspirators. But it is unfortunate that personal quarrels are now being given caste and political colour to incite divisions,” he remarked. He recalled that during the YSRCP’s rule, Palnadu witnessed attacks on villages, atrocities against women, and forced evictions of people—incidents that remain fresh in public memory. Highlighting past examples of political violence, Ravindra pointed to the driver’s murder case and the Dr. Sudhakar incident, where justice was denied. He alleged that such a culture of lawlessness is being encouraged once again. He emphasised that under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership, the coalition government will not compromise on peace and security. “No matter who violates the law, strict action will follow. Conspirators will eventually be trapped, as seen recently in the liquor scam,” he said. On excise policy, Ravindra dismissed misinformation campaigns, noting that the previous government burdened people under the guise of the APT scheme. He explained that the coalition’s new policy ensures quality liquor at prices comparable to neighbouring states, sometimes even lower. Permissions for microbreweries, he added, are being granted transparently, with tourism development in mind. The minister also condemned attacks on Ambedkar statues, incidents in Tirupati, and the spread of false videos on social media, calling them deliberate conspiracies. He stated that CCTV surveillance has been expanded across the State to monitor anti-social elements. “Formed with the trust of the people, the coalition government is committed to safeguarding peace and security. No matter how much false propaganda is spread, the public will not believe it. There is no place for violent politics in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్‌లో మహిళల కోసం అమలు చేస్తున్న స్త్రీశక్తి పథకాన్ని మరింత విస్తరించేందుకు కూటమి ప్రభుత్వం సిద్ధమవుతోంది. ప్రస్తుతం సాధారణ ఆర్టీసీ బస్సుల్లో ఉచిత ప్రయాణ సౌకర్యాన్ని పొందుతున్న మహిళలకు త్వరలో ఏసీ బస్సుల్లో కూడా ఉచిత ప్రయాణం కల్పించనున్నట్లు రవాణా శాఖ మంత్రి మండిపల్లి రాంప్రసాద్ రెడ్డి ప్రకటించారు. ఈ నిర్ణయం అమల్లోకి వస్తే రాష్ట్రవ్యాప్తంగా లక్షలాది మంది మహిళలకు మరింత సౌకర్యవంతమైన ప్రయాణం అందుబాటులోకి రానుంది. దీనిపై ప్రభుత్వం తుది నిర్ణయం తీసుకోవాల్సి ఉందని మంత్రి తెలిపారు. అమరావతిలో మంత్రి మాట్లాడుతూ, స్త్రీశక్తి పథకం రాష్ట్రంలో విజయవంతంగా కొనసాగుతోందని తెలిపారు. ఇప్పటివరకు ఈ పథకం ద్వారా 73.62 కోట్ల ఉచిత బస్సు ప్రయాణాలు నమోదయ్యాయని వెల్లడించారు. గ్రామీణ ప్రాంతాల ప్రజలకు మెరుగైన రవాణా సేవలు అందించేందుకు విద్యుత్ ఆధారిత ఏసీ బస్సులను కూడా ప్రవేశపెట్టనున్నట్లు చెప్పారు. అలాగే దివ్యాంగుల కోసం అమలు చేస్తున్న దివ్యాంగ శక్తి పథకానికి కూడా మంచి స్పందన లభిస్తోందని పేర్కొన్నారు. ఇదే సమయంలో రాష్ట్ర కేబినెట్ టూరిస్ట్ బస్సు యజమానులకు ఊరట కలిగించే కీలక నిర్ణయం తీసుకుంది. ఆల్ ఇండియా టూరిస్ట్ పర్మిట్ (AITP) బస్సులపై విధిస్తున్న త్రైమాసిక పన్నును ప్రతి సీటుకు రూ.4,000 నుంచి రూ.2,500కు తగ్గిస్తూ నిర్ణయం తీసుకుంది. టూరిస్ట్ బస్సు యజమానుల విజ్ఞప్తిపై ప్రభుత్వం ఈ నిర్ణయం తీసుకున్నట్లు మంత్రి తెలిపారు. ఈ పన్ను తగ్గింపుతో ఇతర రాష్ట్రాలకు తరలిపోయిన బస్సుల రిజిస్ట్రేషన్లు తిరిగి ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్‌కు వచ్చే అవకాశం ఉందని అధికారులు భావిస్తున్నారు. దీంతో రాష్ట్ర ఆదాయం పెరగడమే కాకుండా, వాహనాల భద్రత, ఫిట్‌నెస్ పర్యవేక్షణ కూడా మెరుగుపడుతుందని పేర్కొన్నారు. టూరిజం రంగానికి కొత్త ఊపిరి పోసే ఈ నిర్ణయంతో పాటు మహిళలకు ఏసీ బస్సుల్లో ఉచిత ప్రయాణం కల్పించే ప్రతిపాదన రాష్ట్ర ప్రజల్లో ఆసక్తిని రేకెత్తిస్తోంది. ఈ నిర్ణయాలకు సహకరించిన ముఖ్యమంత్రి చంద్రబాబు నాయుడికి మంత్రి మండిపల్లి రాంప్రసాద్ రెడ్డి కృతజ్ఞతలు తెలిపారు.

YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday said that the alleged custodial death of Gade Sai Krishna was not an isolated atrocity but the outcome of a dangerous culture fostered under the TDP-led coalition government. Over the past few days, Andhra Pradesh has been shaken by the alleged “disappearance” of Krishna, whose mother accused Vijayawada’s Krishna Lanka police inspector Nagaraju of torturing her son to  death and then clandestinely cremating his body without the knowledge of family members. “Be it custodial death of Gade Sai Krishna, whose body was allegedly cremated secretly by the police or the suicide of Kranti Kumar after accusing police harassment in a selfie video. They are the outcome of a dangerous culture fostered under the TDP,” Jagan said in a post on ‘X’. Kumar (Perupogu Kranthi Kumar), a Dalit man from Vijayawada, had accused Nagaraju of driving him to suicide through his alleged harassment and torture. In the selfie video, Kumar was seen consuming poison and ending his life due to Nagaraju’s harassment on May 21. The video went viral in the wake of Krishna’s case also being linked to Nagaraju. Observing that incidents pertaining to Krishna and Kumar were not isolated, the opposition leader highlighted that “fear, not justice, was becoming the defining feature of policing in the state.” Jagan claimed that encouraging political vendetta through police harassment would allow the police to take the law into their own hands, corrupt institutions and embolden sections of the police force to operate beyond established laws, rules and constitutional safeguards. “That warning has become a painful reality. Political opponents were targeted first. Social media activists followed. Journalists, intellectuals and dissenting voices came next,” the YSRCP chief said. What began as political persecution has now evolved into a dangerous habit of unchecked policing, where ordinary people too are becoming victims of intimidation, harassment and abuse of authority, he claimed. Underscoring that Krishna’s case has shaken the conscience of Andhra Pradesh, Jagan said his grieving mother, Gade Vijaya Lakshmi, is still pleading for answers and asking authorities to hand over even her “son’s ashes if his body cannot be produced.” Has such a horrifying situation ever occurred in the state’s history, asked Jagan, underlining that Kumar’s case is equally disturbing, who publicly accused the police (inspector Nagaraju) of sustained harassment. “In Tuni, Tirupathamma recorded a selfie video alleging police harassment before ending her life. Kalavathi from Srikakulam district committed suicide due to police harassment. In Kurnool district, Dalit woman Gangamma allegedly died due to police torture,” Jagan said. The former CM claimed that Gangamma was secretly buried, even as her family is seeking a judicial probe into the circumstances surrounding her death