Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s four-hour visit has been embroiled in a controversy due to the alleged overzealousness of the police. A video surfaced of state animal husbandry minister Sidiri Appala Raju pushing and abusing a police inspector. Prior to that, when the Chief Minister had arrived, the minister’s supporters were not allowed to enter the ashram. Opposition parties demanded the removal of the minister from the cabinet due to this conduct.
The road leading to Visakhapatnam airport was sealed, as a result of which the passengers were stuck several kilometers away. The passengers then sat on a dharna in protest and questioned how they could be stopped from going to the airport to catch a regular flight.
All shops and commercial establishments on the Airport-Gopalpalatnam-Pedurthy road were closed for the Chief Minister’s visit. Interestingly, the only government liquor shop was open. A video clip of this is being widely circulated on social media. Visakhapatnam Commissioner Manish Sinha said everything was done as per the security protocol.
Sinha said, “The commercial establishments were not closed. The airport road was closed during the passage of the convoy as per the security norms.
The commissioner said on the incident involving the minister that he was not stopped from entering. “The persons accompanying them were stopped as they did not have the passes issued from the ashram. The minister did not like to go alone and he left.” The Chief Minister had gone to the ashram to participate in the anniversary of Sharada Peetham. Raju had reached the ashram with his supporters but only he was allowed inside. On this the minister got angry and he was pacified by the Assistant Commissioner of Police.
“I had two or three government officials with me. One of them was stopped. The gate was closed at my mouth. He (the policeman concerned) did it deliberately.” “The inspector spoke very politely with the minister. They shouldn’t behave like this.” However, he said that he is not pressurizing the police officer to take action.
State BJP general secretary S Vishnuvardhan condemned the animal husbandry minister’s behavior and said that he should be immediately removed from the cabinet. He said that a case should be registered against him and he should be arrested. The opposition Telugu Desam Party also demanded that Raju be sacked from the cabinet. Senior TDP leader B Satyanarayana Murthy targeted Director General of Police D G Sawang for being silent on the incident. He said that the Chief Minister should apologize for causing inconvenience to the people.(Agency)