Senior YSR Congress party leader and Andhra Pradesh education minister Botsa Satyanarayana does not mince words while rebutting criticism, whether it is from the opposition parties or even judiciary.
Many times, his comments kicked up controversies, but Botsa does not hesitate to call a spade a spade. He is quite open and vocal in what he wants to say.
On Friday, Botsa took exception to an observation made by the state high court while serving notices to two senior IAS officers for shifting students and their parents in a big way to the public meeting of chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy at Kurupam in Vizianagaram district.
The public meeting was held on the occasion of distribution of finance assistance to students under Amma Vodi programme. The money would be credited to the accounts of the mothers for sending their children to the government schools.
Reacting sharply to the high court objection to mobilising students to Jagan’s public meeting, Botsa wondered what was wrong with it.
“The programme was meant for the students and their parents. If not students, who should attend the meeting? Should we call cinema stars?” he asked.
Botsa was apparently targeting Jana Sena Party president and actor Pawan Kalyan, whose party activist filed the case in the high court questioning the government officials for mobilising children to the chief minister’s meeting.
The Jana Sena Party activist questioned Jagan for making political comments in objectionable language against Pawan Kalyan in front of girls and boys of various schools.
He pointed out that there were clear guidelines from the high court in the past that students should not be mobilised for the political meetings.
The high court issued notices to state principal secretary (education) Praveen Prakash and home secretary, asking how the government could violate these guidelines.
This angered Botsa, who made the above comments.
“There is nothing wrong in bringing students to the meeting where the chief minister disbursed financial assistance to them. The high court should come out with clarity,” he said.
