On Monday, November 4, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched a scathing attack on the Police Department and Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha “for the deterioration of law and order” in the state. He even called for a replication of the governance followed by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath in Andhra Pradesh too, presumably referring to the BJP leader’s bulldozer-rule marked by police brutality.
The Deputy CM’s surprising comments against a Minister in his cabinet came in the context of the rape and murder of a three-year-old girl on November 1 in Tirupati district. Pawan Kalyan’s Jana Sena (JSP) is an alliance partner in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led government of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
After the case garnered media attention, Minister Anitha, who belongs to the TDP, visited the family on November 3, and handed over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh as ex gratia.
Addressing the media after the visit, the Home Minister praised Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for “strengthening” the Police Department. She said, “Several cases had gone unnoticed under the previous YSRCP government. That doesn't happen now.”
Responding to her statement a day later, Pawan Kalyan said at a public meeting in Pithapuram, “I want to tell Home Minister Anitha that law and order is her responsibility. I am the Panchayati Raj Minister. If I take up the Home portfolio, the situation will be very different. If things continue in this vein, I will have to take up Home as well.”
“I am even warning the Director General of Police, intelligence officials, and all SPs that cases like these should take precedence. Despite several warnings, nothing has changed,” he said.
Citing the example of social welfare hostels for girl students, the Deputy CM said, “For years, the problems of girl students in social welfare hostels have been brought to my notice. No one takes responsibility. Many authorities in social welfare hostels are troubling girl students, have any of the MLAs visited these places? I’m asking MLAs of the National Democratic Alliance — have you gone there? Go to social welfare hostels. I’m telling Jana Sainiks (JSP supporters) too. Your responsibility doesn’t end with voting us into power. Regardless of whether we hold a designation or not, our aim is to keep up the fight.”
He also said that he will bring the subject for discussion in the Assembly. “Why don't we hear of such rape cases in Singapore or Dubai? Because there is strict punishment for rapists. We should implement the same and deal with such criminals like Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath does,” he added.