Taking strong exception to the arrest of senior journalist and news anchor Kommineni Srinivas Rao of Sakshi TV by the Andhra Pradesh police on Monday, YSR Congress Party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy warned that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu would face severe consequences in the coming years.
"Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, the people have given you power only for five years — and one of those years has already passed. Remember this: in four years, you will have to answer to the people for all the injustices, illegalities, and abuse of power committed under your rule," Jagan said.
He further warned that Naidu would be held accountable for his actions.
"Don't forget — the bad seeds you sow today will bear fruit tomorrow, and that harvest will be twice as bitter," he cautioned.
Jagan alleged that Andhra Pradesh has become synonymous with lawlessness.
"Democracy, law, and justice are being trampled. People, intellectuals, and journalists are being terrorized," he said.
"For the past year, Naidu has been running an unjust and anarchic regime. Now, he's attempting to suppress dissent and silence voices raised against his misrule, deception, corruption, and failures by abusing his power," Jagan added.
The YSRCP chief termed Kommineni's arrest a clear case of political vendetta, pointing out that the journalist was arrested for comments he didn’t even make.
"In any debate, how can the anchor be held responsible for remarks made by the panelists?" he questioned.
Jagan also noted that this was not the first time Naidu had targeted Kommineni.
"In the past, too, Naidu couldn’t tolerate Kommineni’s neutral and balanced debates. And now, because some media channels are not aligned with him, he's once again resorting to control and vindictiveness," he said.
Meanwhile, Jagan’s sister and Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Y S Sharmila criticized the Sakshi channel and demanded an apology from Jagan and his wife, Y S Bharathi Reddy, the chairperson of Sakshi TV, for airing debates that allegedly insulted women from Amaravati.
"Sakshi media has become a propaganda tool for the YSRCP, rather than addressing real public concerns," she stated.
