Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy defends ban on meets on roads citing safety

Vijaywada: YSRCP state general secretary and government advisor Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy said that the ban on holding meetings and political gatherings on public roads will apply to all political parties including YSRCP. He said that the state government brought the GO giving priority to public safety and protect the lives of people.

Speaking to media persons at party central office at Tadepalli on Tuesday, Ramakrishna Reddy blamed TDP for causing the government to bring such GO and warned that if they violate the rules, they will be held responsible. He accused the main Opposition party of acting as if it is above the law. Stating that there is no objection to padayatra by Nara Lokesh or bus yatra by Pawan Kalyan, Ramakrishna Reddy said that the state government was advising political parties to hold big gatherings or meetings in selected grounds and not on public roads keeping in view the safety of people. He said any party can organise political yatras following the rules to ensure safety of people.

The YSRCP leader said that there was no remorse in TDP on the deaths of Kandukuru and Guntur stampede and it has even disowned the responsibility. "TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu has failed to visit Guntur stampede spot though three women lost their lives immediately after he left the place after addressing a meeting. Moreover, Naidu and his team started attacking the government and police for the mishap. Naidu is trying to politicise the Guntur deaths by bringing in caste of the victims," he alleged.

Ramakrishna Reddy said the TDP government had denied permission to Jagan Mohan Reddy to stage a protest in Guntur in the past. He said that there should be healthy competition among political parties.

Referring to entry of Bharat Rashtra Samithi led by Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao into AP, the YSRCP leader said they were ready to invite any political party for contesting the elections in the state.