Nara Lokesh flays arrest of TDP leaders in Gudivada

Vijayawada: TDP national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Friday condemned the 'illegal arrest' of the opposition TDP fact-finding committee members when they went to inquire into 'casino activities' in Gudivada town in Krishna district. Lokesh objected to the ruling YSRCP 'goondas' attacking the Gudivada TDP office and also smashing the window panes of a car belonging to TDP leader Bonda Umamaheswara Rao. Apparently, the government was frustrated and intolerant of growing criticism of the gambling activities, he said.

In a statement here, he said the desperation of the ruling YSRCP exposed the fact that the ruling party's local MLA was the mastermind behind the recent casino held in K Convention Hall. The YSRCP regime had converted a highly respected place of stalwarts like Gudivada into a 'Goavada' by setting up casinos, conducting recording dances and organising gambling.

Lokesh deplored that the police stood silent while the YSRCP mobsters created havoc and stormed into the TDP office. The Chief Minister and his party leaders had exploited all systems and resources. Now, they were bent on promoting gambling in order to make the people bankrupt. The TDP MLC questioned arrests of the fact-finding committee members instead of nabbing the organisers of illegal casinos. He asked how come the coronavirus restrictions had not come in the way of holding the unlawful casinos in Gudivada while the same were applied to the TDP leaders who were part of the committee.