Red Book is already in force for law breakers, says Lokesh

Visakhapatnam: It is the responsibility of the people to ensure that the YSRCP does not return to power at any cost and if it does, the industries that were persuaded to return to Andhra Pradesh now by the alliance government will be thrown out of the state again, warned IT, electronics and HRD minister Nara Lokesh.

Recalling how Amara Raja Batteries was sent out of the state along with other companies during the YSRCP rule, Lokesh cautioned that a similar trend would continue if, by any chance, the YSRCP comes to power. He was addressing the media after attending the court hearing in his defamation case against Sakshi newspaper, here on Friday.

About the ‘Red Book’ implementation, Lokesh reiterated that it has already been in force for those who violated the law. “Those who have violated the law and harassed the TDP cadres will not be spared and be punished as per the law,” he made it clear, adding that a number of cases are in the process of investigation and those who indulged in the offences will not get away from the law.

Further, the minister wondered why former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is so scared of Red Book even as the AP is in compliance with the Dr BR Ambedkar’s Constitution.

Giving assurance that Visakhapatnam steel plant (VSP) will not be privatised as long as the NDA government is in power, Lokesh informed that the efforts were in progress to prevent it at any cost.

Responding to a query on lapses in implementing liquor and sand policies, the minister said that the policies were only days old and things will be streamlined shortly.

The exercise of filling up nominated posts has begun, barring a few that were stuck in legal issues due to the YSRCP’s failed decisions, he said.

Making it clear that he had never misused the public funds even for the purpose of drinking a glass of water or refreshments, Lokesh said that the Opposition is keen on tarnishing his image by carrying out false campaign.

He said a decision on how to utilise Jagan’s palace at Rushikonda is yet to be taken. He said that the Rs.500 crore project taken up for the former CM’s personal use and Rs 200 crore penalty imposed by the ministry of environment further increased the cost of the palace to Rs 700 crore. “If the same amount was spent on completing the TIDCO houses during the YSRCP tenure, the poor’s dream of owning a house would have been realised,” the minister opined.

Accompanied by Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat, TDP district women president Sarvasiddhi Anantalakshmi, among others, Lokesh said that with the TCS setting up its facility in Visakhapatnam, it would be a game changer for the city and in future, lakhs of people would get employment opportunities as more investors will be drawn towards Vizag.