What About Atrocities Against Women In AP, Chandrababu?

Kommineni Srinivasa Rao

“Atrocities are on the rise in the country. Look at the rape incidents of minor girls in Unnao and Kathua.” Chandrababu Naidu hinted at the Tirupati meeting that Prime Minister Modi and the BJP should take care to ensure that such incidents did not take place rather than focus on him and his state.

Chandrababu is right—the incidents which took place in both these places were heinous. In J & K it is the BJP-PDP alliance in government, while BJP is in power in UP. Both these incidents deserve to be condemned in the strongest of terms and they have evoked outrage across the country, cutting across party lines. Prime Minister Modi also reacted strongly and the government brought out an ordinance acting against such atrocities against minors by punishing them with the death sentence.

In spite of the Modi government‘s reaction to these shocking incidents, Chandrababu Naidu criticised PM Modi. Even as we welcome Chandrababu Naidu‘s criticism of the Prime Minister, the question arises as to what he is doing in his home state. The Dachepalli rape incident shocked people everywhere and drew widespread anger. People from all sections of society took to the streets and blocked highways.

People protesting spontaneously against such an outrageous incident is heartening indeed. The more awareness there is on such issues, the better it is for our society. Such criminals should be mortally afraid of carrying out such heinous acts and this awareness should come about without the involvement of political parties, communities and groups.

However, it is unfortunate that Chandrababu Naidu gave a communal angle to the rape incidents in Kathua and Unnao and thereby tried to politicise the matter by criticising the BJP. When it comes to Andhra Pradesh, he is unable to provide any answer. Chandrababu Naidu has an attitude which says that people should back him on everything he says. It is as if he cannot be wrong. If he takes a contradictory position later, people should still continue to hail his views and cheer him. Since he has a few media outlets which do this, Chandrababu Naidu seems to be convinced that he is right all the time.

Also Read: Dachepalli Like Incidents On Rise in AP: YS Jagan

Dachepalli is not an isolated incident. The media reported that there have been six instances of sexual assault against women in the past 10 days in Guntur district alone. When such incident took place in Tenali, right next to the capital of the state, it spontaneously evoked anger across the state. There was no reaction however from what one could see, from either the Telugu Desam party or the state government on this incident. What is one to make of this?

When Chandrababu Naidu criticises Prime Minister Modi and BJP, he should realise that the same logic in cases of sexual assault apply to him with regard to the state of AP, as well.

The brazen horsetrading of opposition MLAs by Chandrababu Naidu, threats of intimidation and instances of implicating them in cases abound. Should he not ensure that such corrupt practices do not take place in his regime? If one recalls the promises in the TDP manifesto, then one can see the assurances he gave on television channels. He said that if atrocities against women continued in the way that they did during Congress rule, the perpetrators would be chased and thrashed.

Chandrababu Naidu had then promised that cell phones will be given to women for their safety. What happened to this promise? Instead, he invited a fine to the tune of Rs.50,000 from the Supreme Court! That is because the Andhra Pradesh government neglected widows and destitute women and for not involving a proper mechanism for their relief and rehabilitation.

The Telangana government needs to be appreciated in this respect. Be it the security of women in the form of SHE teams or widow pension, the government has earned the appreciation of all sections of society. Why is Andhra Pradesh lagging behind? Why is the state in the fifth position in the list of states in atrocities against women?

These are questions which Chandrababu Naidu needs to introspect upon. It is also necessary to remind Chandrababu Naidu of some of the incidents which took place in the past. Not only was a case not registered against TDP MLA, Chintamaneni Prabhakar for his outrageous misbehaviour against a lady MRO, Vanajakshi, Chandrababu Naidu admonished the officer and brought about a reconciliation.

In the call sex money racket, centred in Vijayawada, it was widely reported that the the case was completely watered down through the intervention of the TDP leaders at the highest level in the government!

The expulsion of a lady MLA of opposition YSRCP, Roja, for one full year was carried out during the Chandrababu rule to its credit!

It is evident that nobody in the TDP has the moral courage to question Chandrababu Naidu. This is the reason behind his increasingly audacious talk and posturing. What is worse is that women are being threatened by officials and forcibly driven to attend his meetings! What if someone were to question him on whether it is appropriate for a leader who claims to have 40 years of experience in politics to do such things? Chandrababu Naidu works on the principle of attack is the best form of defence. What the TDP lacks as a political party is inner democracy. This is the precise reason for its decline. This is also why the government should take serious note of such atrocities against women. It should act in all such instances instead of pointing a finger at PM Modi for what is happening in Jammu and Kashmir or Uttar Pradesh. Chandrababu Naidu cannot afford to ignore what is happening in his own backyard on the issue of atrocities against women.