TDP for 'Sand Deeksha' on Nov 14 against YSRCP for creating sand scarcity, encouraging black market

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are set to stage a 'Sand Deeksha' protest on November 14 against YSRCP for allegedly creating a scarcity of sand in the state and encouraging black marketeers, due to which hundreds of workers and labourers have lost their livelihood.

Former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu will sit on 'Deeksha' protest from 8 am to 8 pm on November 14. In this regard, party leaders held a press meet earlier today.

"Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, before the elections he promised that he will give sand free of cost to every citizen of this state. Already Chandrababu Naidu has given sand as a commodity for free to every citizen of this state. They were supposed to pay the transportation charges to the respective labourers. Since Reddy has come into power he has abandoned the whole policy," said Kesineni Srinivas, TDP MP.

He further asserted that Reddy has stated that he will bring a new sand policy and for around three months he had stopped the supply of sand. Thereby, he created a scarcity of sand and encouraged black market.

"Now the sand has gone totally under the control of black marketers who are the leaders, MLAs and ministers of YSRCP party. The total sand mafia is being controlled by the YSRCP ministers," said Srinivas.

"Hundreds of labourers have lost their livelihood and committed suicide and their families are on roads. We demand Reddy to announce who is controlling the mafia. If there party ministers and MLAs are controlling the mafia then they should be punished," he added.

Atchen Naidu, TDP MLA and deputy floor leader in Assembly alleged that YSRCP mafia is selling sand at exorbitant prices by creating artificial scarcity for sand. Protesting that, we are going to conduct Sand deeksha on November 14.

"We are releasing a charge sheet on sand mafia. We will explain how sand is being supplied to other states while local people are deprived of sand. We seek the support of all political parties for this deeksha," he added.

Former minister Kalva Srinivasulu said that it is the YSRCP government that created sand scarcity.

"We are going to conduct Sand Deeksha in order to extend support to the workers and labour who lost livelihood. We request all cross-sections of the society to support our agitation," he added.

TDP leader K Pattabhi Ram asserted that TDP has filed a charge sheet against the sand mafia which is taking place for last six months.

The TDP leaders have alleged that 60 leaders of YSRCP from all 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh are indulging into the sand mafia, along with their kin and aides.

Of them, the TDP leaders named state Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram, Ministers in Jagan Cabinet Kodali Venkateswara Rao, Botsa Satyanarayana, Mekapati Gowtam Reddy, Taneti Vanita, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, MLAs Amanchi Krishna Mohan, Avinash Reddy, Silpa Mohan Reddy, Meda Mallikarjun Reddy, Ketireddy Peddareddy and R K Roja and many others.