Priority to enforcing law & order, asserts Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu

The NDA Government in the State will implement the criminal laws strictly and expose those doing illegal activities under the garb of politicians, he vows

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on November 21 (Thursday) that law & order in the State had deteriorated to an awful level in the last five years (during the YSRCP term), where people thrashed the criminals whom they could catch before the latter were arrested by the police.

Mr. Naidu insisted that the criminals deserved such a treatment, and called upon the people to shed their indifference to the offences taking place around them as they could be the next victim.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders had unleashed a wave of abuses against whoever criticised their government through the social media platforms, and nothing could be more worse than the derogatory messages posted against former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s mother Vijayalakshmi and sister Sharmila by his (YSRCP chief) followers independently and through the A.P. Digital Corporation.

Unfortunately, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy came out in defense of MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy’s henchman Varra Ravindra Reddy, by arguing that the messages posted from his social media account were morphed.

On the other hand, ganja, drugs and cheap liquor posed a grave danger, requiring stringent action against the culprits, from which the government would not back off, Mr. Naidu said.

The NDA Government would implement the criminal laws strictly and expose the criminals doing illegal activities under the garb of politicians, he asserted.

Making a statement on the A.P. Prevention of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Land Grabbers (Amendment) Bill-2024 and A.P. Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill-2024 before they were passed in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Naidu said he had effectively dealt with terrorism, communalism, factionalism and rowdyism in the past, but the types of crimes and vilification campaigns witnessed during the YSRCP rule were new to him.

Mr. Naidu said he would quickly adapt to the situation and sternly act against criminals, duly including those resorting to character assassination by posting abusive content on the social media, and would even avail of the services of world’s top cybersecurity experts to curb the menace.

Mr. Naidu said ganja, drugs and cheap liquor continued to be a menace, while pointing out that there was not a single occasion when Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy reviewed the situation and took action thereof.

The government brought various crimes and illegal activities, including smuggling of rice, under the purview of the A.P. Prevention of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Land Grabbers (Amendment) Bill-2024 to crack the whip on the forces inimical to society, he added.

Viveka murder

The Chief Minister recalled how he was portrayed as the main conspirator behind the murder of former Minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy by those who actually committed the crime and erased the circumstantial evidence from the scene of offence after giving the initial impression that the leader (Mr. Vivekananda Reddy) died of cardiac arrest.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had leisurely travelled to Pulivendula after coming to know of the incident, in spite of having the resources to fly in a chopper, while YSRCP leader V. Vijaya Sai Reddy enacted the drama there, he noted.

Referring to the A.P. Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill-2024, Mr. Naidu said it was drafted on the lines of a similar Act being implemented by the Gujarat government, and that grabbing land or attempting to grab it with or without force, establishment of special courts, imprisonment of 10 to 14 years and placing the burden of proof on the accused were its salient features.

Published - November 21, 2024 08:42 pm IST