Police in Andhra Pradesh have placed former Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, his son Nara Lokesh and several other TDP leaders under house arrest. Their house arrests came ahead of the Telugu Desam Party’s call for a 12-hour hunger strike across the state. Naidu had urged his workers and leaders to stage a 12-hour strike from 8 AM to 8 PM on Wednesday.
Reacting to the police action, Naidu said, “This government is violating human rights and fundamental rights. I am warning the government. I am warning police also. You cannot control us by arresting us.” The former Andhra Pradesh chief minister called the police action ‘atrocious’ and ‘unprecedented in history’ adding that this was ‘a dark day in democracy.’
TDP supporters travelling towards the residence of their leaders were stopped by police on the way. Cops have also reportedly arrested several TDP leaders including former state ministers and MLAs.
Former Andhra Pradesh Minister and TDP leader Bhuma Akhila Priya was taken into preventive detention by police at Novotel hotel, reported news agency ANI. In Krishna District, former TDP MLA Tangirala Sowmya was placed under house arrest at Nandigama town after he sat on a protest with other TDP leaders in front of her house. TDP MLC YVB Rajendra Prasad too was put under house arrest in Uyyuru.
Andhra Pradesh: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Nara Lokesh, son of TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu, argues with police. He was later put under house arrest. pic.twitter.com/Slv3LPeBRD
— ANI (@ANI) September 11, 2019
Meanwhile, Naidu has termed the state government’s attempts to stop his tour to Atmakuru in Durgi mandal of Guntur district and the subsequent house arrests of party leaders in Guntur, Krishna District, Prakasam and other districts as undemocratic.
The TDP had planned a Chalo Atmakur rally in Guntur to protest against the alleged political violence at the behest of the state government headed by Chief Minister Jagan Reddy and his party, the YSR Congress.
The TDP had alleged that its eight party workers had been killed and many others faced threats from the ruling YSR Congress, which rose to power with a huge majority in this year’s assembly elections in May.
