Jagan undermines Grama Swaraj: Yanamala

Amaravati: Former Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu stated that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had no moral right to talk about 'Grama Swaraj' and local self-government as his party cadres running an unlawful parallel Government in rural areas, in a statement on Sunday.

Ramakrishnudu asked how Mahatma Gandhi's dream of self-rule could be achieved in Andhra Pradesh as long as CM Jagan retained total control in villages through his party cadres who were appointed as Grama Volunteers and Grama Secretariat staff. Even in the local body elections, the YSRCP created too many obstacles for rival contestants, he opined.

The Opposition Leader in Council demanded the Chief Minister to explain whether the ongoing rule by person incharges would bring in Grama Swaraj. False cases were filed against rival contestants to force them to withdraw from local polls. Nomination papers were torn and attacks were made at the time of nominations. Jagan's speech on the Gandhian ideals was like the Devil quoting the Scriptures, he criticized. Real self-rule would come only when the villagers were allowed to rule themselves.

Ramakrishnudu slammed the YSRCP regime for making a 'murder attempt' on the TDP MLC and former MLA when they went to check facts about the ruling party excesses in Macherla. Even development funds were not being provided in villages. The Central funds from NREGS were being distributed among the ruling party leaders not being sent directly to the panchayats. Most of the funds were being diverted to pay the YSRCP favoured contractors, he alleged.

Accusing YSRCP of making local polls one-sided, Ramakrishnudu said that if Jagan Reddy knew the full meaning of Grama Swaraj, he would have implemented the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution in letter and spirit. This was least expected of Jagan Reddy as his 14 months rule marked non-stop attacks on the democratic systems and constitutional institutions. Over Rs. 8,000 Cr funds released by the Centre for Covid relief was also diverted by the Jagan Reddy government.

The TDP former Minister asked how Jagan Reddy could talk about fraternity and liberty when his regime was forcibly snatching away the assignment lands and perpetrating atrocities on the Dalits and backward classes. The houses of poor people were being demolished. On the other hand, the CM gave over 600 nominated posts to his own caste people as if no other caste was existing in the State. With his repeated violations of the Constitution in the last 14 months, the CM had not given respect to the Preamble.