Amaravati, June 10 (PTI) YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday condemned the arrest of senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao and attacks on a vernacular news channel, calling it an "assault on democracy".
The Andhra Pradesh police had on Monday arrested the senior journalist in Hyderabad for allegedly hosting a programme, where disparaging remarks against greenfield capital city Amaravati were made.
"Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is using fake narratives and organized violence to divert public anger and escape accountability," said Reddy in a post on X, calling the actions a "deliberate attack" on democratic institutions.
The former CM accused Naidu of "distorting facts, misusing power, and inciting orchestrated violence" under the guise of safeguarding women's dignity.
According to Reddy, Rao was falsely implicated over remarks 'he never made', and asserted that arresting him is not actually law enforcement.
"He (Rao) merely moderated a debate and how unfair and irrelevant it is to hold him responsible for that! Babu's (Naidu) government twisted the narrative, weaponized it, and orchestrated violent, state-wide attacks on Sakshi media offices--all under the guise of protecting women's dignity," said Reddy in a post on X.
He claimed that 188 women were raped and 15 murdered within a year of the TDP-led government coming to power, attributing it to police negligence and the government's failure to deliver justice.
Likewise, Reddy cited the recent murder of a tribal girl in Anantapur district and the alleged gang rape of a minor girl in Sri Sathyasai district as an indicator of the state government's alleged 'insensitivity'.
"In Edgurallapalli, a 9th-grade Dalit girl was gang-raped by 14 TDP-linked men for six months. She became pregnant, and the victim's family has since gone missing amid serious allegations of political pressure and police inaction," he alleged.
"Is this the safety they (govt) promised? Is this the dignity they protected," asked Reddy.
Questioning the integrity of the TDP-led NDA government, the opposition leader shared three old videos which featured Naidu and others to insist that they 'reflect their attitude'.
The YSRCP chief alleged that the NDA alliance reneged on its promises on education, health, agriculture, and security, pushing people into distress despite electoral assurances.
"Your (Naidu) diversion politics won't work forever, Chandrababu garu. People are watching, and they will hold you accountable," Reddy said in the post.
Comparing the previous YSRCP regime with the current government, Reddy asserted that his government was known for its "efficiency, transparency, corruption-free administration, justice-driven approach and groundbreaking welfare programmes".
He said such a government was replaced by the NDA alliance government, which, according to Jagan, is seemingly a "chaotic and authoritarian regime".
Meanwhile, there was no immediate reaction from the ruling TDP over the Jagan's statement.