Chandrababu Has Not Fulfilled Any Election Promise Made To Fishermen

Komaragiri, East Godavari District: Public anger against the Chandrababu Naidu regime is rising with each passing day. The fact that people have been coming to me in large numbers to vent their grievances regardless of heavy rain, itself bears testimony to this. My Padayatra, which began at Mummidivaram today, crossed the Raghavendra bridge by the Vruddha Goutami.

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Shortly after my Padayatra began, it started raining and all of us got drenched. What came to me as a pleasant surprise was that the rain did not dampen the spirits of the local people—women came to perform Harathi, youth followed me cheering me on with slogans, the old and infirm approached me in spite of the rain with complaints and grievances. I felt deeply touched by this display of affection and thought that I owe my gratitude to all of them.

It is a matter of pride for all Indians that the birth anniversary of Dr BC Roy, the legendary expert from the world of medicine, is celebrated as World Doctors’ Day. Dr. Roy was awarded the Bharat Ratna and earned international recognition for his services as a physician and also became a tall political leader of his time.

I was once again reminded of my father, the late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who began his career as a doctor, and later scripted history with his selfless service to the masses as a politician. Like Dr. Roy, my father has earned a permanent place in the hearts and minds of people. It was a special experience to be greeted by people on the occasion of Doctors’ Day. They spoke of their relationship with my father and his lasting healthcare initiatives for which he will always be remembered.

Statesmen, whose lives are dedicated to others, live in their hearts forever, it is said. People never forget them. No wonder they worship Sir Arthur Cotton who built irrigation projects in the Kona Seema area and transformed their lives filling them with fertility and abundance. People remember with respect former district collector, Raghavendra Rao, who built a bridge across Vruddha Goutami, connecting Ipolavaram with the outside world. Back then, they created history by completing the bridge on Vruddha Goutami in a short period of time, thanks to mutual cooperation between the government, local officials and the people at large. In contrast, the masses here curse the current government, for not having completed the Jeemulapolam-Gollagaruvu bridge, which did not take up work on it only because the credit would go to my father who had completed more than 30% of the project work.

Fishermen, who had been put to loss by the drilling work carried out by the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation, said that they had fought for months to earn compensation for their losses. However, after the TDP government came to power they were denied this compensation. They expressed their anguish saying that the ruling party leaders had mortgaged their interests to the managements of oil companies. Aqua farmers were furious that prawn exporters had formed a syndicate and were subjecting them to huge losses at the time of harvest by bringing the prices down.

As soon as I announced my decision to ensure that aqua farmers who are facing a grave crisis, would get electricity at Rs.1.50 per unit, a rattled Chandrababu Naidu said that they would be given power at Rs.2 per unit. However, they are still getting power bills according to old rates, complained aqua farmers. They were furious that other charges were being levied in the name of back billing and additional demand charges. While they were reeling under losses because the prices of prawns had fallen, Chandrababu Naidu increased the prices by Rs. 30, an order which was not honoured! This is the degree of sincerity he has, they lamented. Leaders, who make false promises and assurances at the time of elections to deceive people and to promote their own selfish interests, will fall by the wayside of history.

My poser to the chief minister— you had promised special residential schools for the children of fishermen community, loans to fishermen through institutionalised subsidy, subsidy on diesel to the extent of 50%, allocation of land by the coast, free education to children of fishermen community from KG to PG, and inclusion of fishermen in ST communities. Your manifesto lists out all these promises. Your tenure will come to an end in a few months. Have you fulfilled at least one promise in these years? On top it all, is it just on your part to deny the benefits due to the fishermen community and mortgage them to oil companies for your own selfish interests?