Pawan pulls off show amid anarchy

Khammam/Kothagudem: Already facing strong criticism for his softened stand on both both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments, the Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, on the third day of his maiden political tour, had to taste the bitter side of politics when an unidentified person hurled a chappal at him that fortunately missed the target and landed on the actor’s car bonnet.

Although Pawan arrived at coal town Kothagudem on Tuesday, it was all chaos for his fans, followers and media persons who waited for him. Only a few were able to meet him in the guest house where he stayed. With Pawan as the only face of Jana Sena Party, there was none to communicate about his programme.

Barring a few minutes that he spent with his fan G Sathish, who was grievously injured during Atharintiki Daredi audio function and Srija, whom he personally visited when she was in hospital last year, Pawan didn’t stay for long in the coal town. In Kothagudem, he told the press persons that there were several problems in the region such as Podu land, railway line mining university etc.

On his way to Khammam, fans went frenzy to see their matinee idol waiting on the road. It was no different at the party activists’ meet at Khammam as fans jostled with each other to get close to him.

“I am not in politics to do wonders, but to work for the betterment of the society,” he said, stating that he was least bothered about his critics and detractors who were trying to malign him. “Though I don’t believe in caste, region and religion, it’s an imperative need to understand the role of casteism in Indian politics,” the actor said.

Social change is the key, not the caste, region and religion that have been hindering the progress, he said, pointing out the development model in Malaysia that ignores all social maladies.

No such situation should arise again, he said, referring to the anguish of the people in Telangana in regard with their culture, dialect and accent, he said. Responding over the delay in taking up party’s organisational set up, Pawan Kalyan said it would take some time as he doesn’t want to take help from Telugu Desam, which he supported in last elections or anyone else.

Stating that vote bank politics was not his cvup of tea, he made it clear that he neither belonged to Left nor Right. “My focus in on issues faced by people and fight for their solution,” he said. “Fluorosis problem faced by the people in Nalgonda has motivated me towards politics,” he said, alleging that leaders in Nalgonda obstructed him when he tried to help the locals.

He appealed to his fans from Khammam, Warangal and Nalgonda to inform him about the issues faced by the people in their respective regions. “The slogan ‘Jai Telangana’ itself is an indication of social change and that is what I want to achieve,” he said. Meanwhile, police had a tough time in controlling the crowd right through the meeting.