Government Diverts AgriGold Issue By Raking UP Other Issues

The issue of AgriGold scam rocked the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly on Thursday and the ruling TDP tried to deflect criticism by diverting the issue.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu made a statement on the AgriGold scam. Reacting to this, YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the statement was inadequate and lacked human touch. He said the victims were eagerly waiting for succour, but, Chandrababu Naidu disappointed them.

He said the government has not put the details of the depositors and the victims online. Even on the issue of arrests, the government was selective. One of the director, Seetharam, has not been arrested. He also pointed out that AgriGold assets have been bought by some persons, including wife of MInister Prathipati Pulla Rao.

At this, Prathipati Pulla Rao intervened and challenged that he would quit politics if the allegations were proved. YS Jagan said the government was trying to divert the attention and said that Pulla Rao had himself admitted to his wife buying AgriGold lands. He also pointed out that AgriGold Seetharam has sold his Tirupati hotel for 14 crore, his wife Pushpalatha sold 31 acres and daughter sold 8 acres after the scam. He also pointed out that that Dinakaran, one of the directors, bought those lands.

The TDP then raised a ruckus and said it would order a house committee on the issue. At this, the Opposition said it wanted a judicial probe. The ruling party then tried to castle the opposition by displaying the video of Speaker's controversial comments on atrocities on women. The speaker adjourned the house and ordered the screening of his presser after it was reconvened.

YSRCP slammed these diversionary tactics and demanded that the clippings related to the abusive language used by the ruling party MLA be also screened. Nagari MLA Roja said the government had promised house committees on various issues and had not constituted even one. She also said that such committees will be heavily loaded against the opposition. She said speaker's controversial comments were aired not just by Sakshi TV, but also by other media channels too.