Jagan orders Praja Vedika demolition

Amaravati: The state government has taken a firm decision to demolish Praja Vedika, a building that was constructed at a cost or Rs 5 crore by the previous government through the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) as an extension to the residence of former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for holding official meetings and party meetings.

Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, addressing the District Collectors' meeting on Monday said: "This is the last meeting being held here as this structure was built in violation of the rules. And this building would be demolished.

The drive against illegal structures would begin with the demolition of this structure."

"I have convened the conference in this place to show how things are going to change from now onwards and I order the demolition of all illegal constructions beginning with this very structure.

This is the strong message I intend to convey to the people. Had such a violation been carried out by some ordinary citizen, things would have been different. Why these double-standards.

There should not be different yardsticks to different people. Law is same to everyone and an irregularity should be dealt with firmly, however big the person may be in the social and economic stature," Jagan said

The Collectors' conference, the first after the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) formed the government in May, was scheduled to be held in the state Secretariat but the government announced on Friday that it will be held at Praja Vedika.

The next day the officials took control of the premises. The dramatic developments came at a time when Naidu, the president of the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), is holidaying abroad with his family.

Reacting sharply to Jagan's decision, the TDP called it vendetta politics.

Claiming that the structure was constructed by the government as per the rules and regulations, the Opposition alleged that the Chief Minister ordered its demolition so that their leader does not get it.

They said the government needs to clarify if it would also demolish all other buildings constructed on the riverbed. There are about 20 such constructions spread over 18 km, they said.

Most of these buildings, they said were constructed during the Congress regime.

Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan said the government should prove its sincerity and demolish all illegal buildings. If it stops with the demolition of Praja Vedika it would mean that it was resorting to vindictive politics.