Attack on Jagan: AP CM Chandrababu blames Centre

YSR Congress Party Chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was stabbed on his arm by an unidentified assailant in the VIP lounge of Visakhapatnam Airport, being treated at a hospital in Hyderabad on Thursday | PTI YSR Congress Party Chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was stabbed on his arm by an unidentified assailant in the VIP lounge of Visakhapatnam Airport, being treated at a hospital in Hyderabad on Thursday | PTI

In a late evening press meet, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu indirectly blamed the BJP, Prime Minister Narender Modi, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, Janasena founder and actor Pawan Kalyan, AP and Telangana Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, and the YSR Congress Party for the attack on opposition leader YS Jagan Reddy. Completely absolving his government of any lapses and refusing to take responsibility, Naidu said there was a big conspiracy to destabilise his government. Mocking the attack more than once and calling it a “drama” during his 30-minute interaction with the media, the CM’s meet only added confusion to the motive of the attack and the sequence of events.

The CM reiterated what AP DGP R.P. Thakur had said earlier about the attacker Srinivas who struck Jagan at Vizag airport on Thursday. According to him, the accused was a YSRCP supporter who wanted Jagan to get sympathy and win the upcoming elections. However, the DGP and the CM could not give a convincing reply on why did the attacker carry a 11 page letter with him, in which he allegedly praised Jagan and YSRCP party, which did not match with his motive. 

Naidu then called Jagan irresponsible for flying to Hyderabad without staying back and lodging a police complaint. Babu further said the injury was a minor one which could be healed by just merely “applying ointment”. However, according to doctors treating Jagan, the gash was deep requiring around eight stitches. The chief minister said Jagan went to his house from Hyderabad airport and then came to hospital only after he was asked to do so by someone “in Delhi". 

But in reality, Jagan had gone to hospital directly from the airport. The most puzzling part has to be the jurisdiction of the area where the attack took place. The attack took place inside the airport complex but before the check-in area. While Naidu said that the CISF and central agencies had the jurisdiction over the airport complex and they have to take responsibility, CISF Director General C.V. Anand spoke to news channels and said that the particular spot does not come under their purview and it was up to the local police to investigate what had happened. 

The most crucial question is related to the custody of the accused and the evidence. While the chief minister said the CISF took hours to hand over the evidence and delayed lodging a police complaint, the Andhra Pradesh DGP claimed immediately after the attack that they had taken the accused into custody and even gave a statement that he was a YSRCP worker as per preliminary investigation. 

The CM targeted Governor Narasimhan for calling up DGP and enquiring about the incident. Naidu also criticised his Telangana counterpart KCR, actor Pawan Kalyan and senior BJP leaders for supporting Jagan. He warned PM Modi against creating disturbances in Andhra Pradesh. 

The mystery over Srinivas who hails from East Godavari, meanwhile, has deepened. Srinivas worked in an eatery inside the airport complex operated by Manohar, a TDP leader. However, his family members claimed that they were supporters of YS Jagan family. Why did he then make a deadly attempt on Jagan continues to be a question mark, even when he knew that he would be easily caught.