Andhra govt not letting party leaders visit violence-hit Macherla: TDP

TDP leader Varla Ramaiah asks why his party leaders are not allowed to meet the victims of violence in Macherla

The politburo member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Varla Ramaiah, on Sunday asked as to why his party leaders were not allowed to visit Macherla to meet the victims of the 'government-sponsored' violence there.

Varla Ramaiah expressed surprise that even after conducting cordon and search operation in Macherla, how the ruling YSRCP activists were allowed to carry lethal weapons, bottles filled with petrol and other weapons.

Observing that the violence in Macherla is certainly government-sponsored, the TDP politburo member said that the victims were of the opinion that the Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence), Seetharamanjaneyulu, and the Superintendent of Police of Palnadu, Ravishankar Reddy, were instigating the violence.

"The SP is only trying to play down the whole episode to protect the YSRCP activists," Varla Ramaiah felt. When the local TDP office was set ablaze, five cars were damaged, two cars were burnt, and the houses of the local TDP activists too were damaged, the SP termed this as a minor incident. "All this indicates that the SP was well aware of the incidents much before they happened," Ramaiah remarked.

While cases under serious sections like attempt to murder which are non-bailable were registered against the TDP activists, who are the victims, cases under bailable Sections were registered against the YSRCP workers. "This reflects the biased attitude of the SP," Varla Ramaiah added.

"If the incidents are so minor why prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been imposed," he asked. He alleged that the TDP leaders were leaving Macherla unable to bear the harassment of the local police. The TDP leaders are not allowed even to meet the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and the SP, he added.

He claimed that no police official till now visited the places of incidents and the video footage has not been examined. The TDP politburo member demanded that the Director General of Police (DGP), Rajendranath Reddy, immediately visit the spot and order for an impartial inquiry into the whole episode.

Varla Ramaiah also demanded that those involved in the violence be arrested immediately and the Additional DG (Intelligence), the SP and other police officers be transferred.

--IANS

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