Chandrababu Naidu condemns 'forcible' collections of OTS

Amaravati: Former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday slammed the YSRCP government for resorting to 'forcible OTS collections' from the poor beneficiaries for houses built since the NT Rama Rao government.

Naidu said the DWCRA groups were being asked to give loans to make OTS payments, which would later lead to complications if the groups forcibly collect the loans.

The TDP chief was speaking at the International Disability Day celebrations held here on Friday. He criticised the YSRCP government for deducting Rs 3,000 from social pensions even for the differently abled persons. The officials were deducting the amount under various heads like power bills, etc., Naidu questioned the government on its decision to collect 'One Time Settlement' of of Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 from the poor families given houses since 1983. It was wrong to harass the poor for a benefit received many years ago, he said. Chandrababu Naidu warned the police of consequences if they violated the rules in order to silence the voice of the people.

"The AP police might have become unlawful, but the Indian Constitution is still in force and alive. Ambedkar's Constitution gave rights and power to everybody." he said. The government was cheating people in every way and betraying the trust imposed in it by them, he said He recalled the benefits accrued to people including the disabled during the TDP regime in the past.

In a statement, N Lokesh, MLC, also criticised the Chief Minister for "emptying" DWCRA funds too while the party spokesperson, K Pattabhi Ram, sought booster dose to the public to overcome the threat of Omicron.