Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday alleged that ‘Red Book' constitution in Andhra Pradesh has gone out of control.
Jagan was referring to the 'Red Book' of state minister Nara Lokesh in which the latter has written names of all the officials and others who allegedly harassed TDP leaders and cadres when the YSRCP was in power.
Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the TDP-led coalition government of misusing the police force to implement its ‘Red Book' constitution and to target those questioning the government.
He was speaking to the media in Tenali town of Guntur district after calling on the families of three youth who were publicly beaten up recently by the police.
He said that the state was witnessing a series of incidents in which Chief Minister Chandrababu and his party were misusing the police to target their political opponents including former ministers and former MLAs, leaders and workers.
The YSRCP chief said in the Tenali incident three youth belonging to Dalit and minority communities were brutally thrashed in public by the police.
The youth identified as Chebrolu John Victor (25), Karimullah (21) and Doma Rakesh (25) were beaten up by policemen with sticks. A video of the incident circulated on social media shows policemen beating the three men on their feet after they were made to sit on the ground.
The families of the three youths explained to Jagan how they were tortured by the police and showed him photographs and police reports.
Jagan said that Rakesh, who works as a delivery boy in Hyderabad, had come to Tenali in connection with an old case. His friends John, a junior advocate, and Karimullah also came to Tenali from Mangalagiri to meet him.
The YSRCP leader said that on April 24 when a police Constable in civil dress picked up a quarrel with somebody, they questioned the Constable’s action. The trio were brough to Tenali police station the next day and were assaulted by the cops. On April 26, the police publicly beat up the three youths.
Jagan alleged that the police kept a knife in John’s pocket to register a false case against him. The police also opened rowdy sheets against the three youths.
The former chief minister asked police who had given them the power to beat up the youths in public.
“There may be cases against anybody but it doesn’t mean you can beat them up in public. Can police violate the law,” he asked and pointed out that Chandrababu Naidu also has 24 cases against him.
A large number of people welcomed Jagan on his arrival in the town and YSRCP cadres and supporters accorded him a warm welcome.
With folded hands, Jagan stood on his car’s door to respond to the loud cheers by his supporters.
Some Dalit groups staged protest against Jagan's visit to Telangana. They alleged that Jagan did not console the family of a man who died during the YSRCP's rule but was extending support to rowdy sheeters.
