Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 43: No Pangs Of Conscience For Chandrababu

Gandlapenta, (Anantapur District): As I set out on my yatra on Sunday, leaders from the minority community and delegations of farmers' associations met me and
apprised me of the drought situation in Kadiri region. They told me that lack of employment opportunities has forced thousands to migrate in search of livelihood. They pointed out that the people here were living in dire poverty. They admitted that industrial development alone was the panacea for all the ills plaguing this region and requested me to take steps in this direction.

Kadiri is one of the most drought-affected areas in the state and migration from here
is a well - documented fact. When the situation is so grave and the conditions so pathetic, why is the Government doing nothing? Let alone special focus on this region, the Government is not implementing even the minimum welfare and developmental schemes.

After I covered some distance, Vemaiah met me carrying a mangal sutra. On seeing me, he broke down and when I consoled him and asked him what had happened, he narrated his tale of woe. His wife obtained a DWCRA loan of Rs 30,000. Believing that Chandrababu Naidu would waive the loans, she did not pay the loan installments. But Chandrababu Naidu quickly forgot his promise and the banks began pressurizing Vemaiah to repay the loans. Left with no option, the couple shifted to Bengaluru. Vemaiah has now become a watchman and wife Sugunamma is doing menial jobs as a domestic help.

With pressure mounting on them to repay the loan, he pledged his wife’s ear rings and repaid an installment of Rs 9,000 . But the bank officials are demanding that he repay the remaining amount too and are even threatening to auction his house. “Jagan Anna… The only option left for me is to sell this sacred mangal sutra,” he said amid sobs.

Countless families have been left completely shattered by Chandrababu’s false promises. They are left to repay the loans pledging even their mangal sutras. Not just DWCRA women, farmers, the unemployed and the students – all sections of the society feel betrayed by Chandrababu Naidu.
I crossed the 600-km mark at Katarupalli and to mark the occasion, I planted a neem sapling there.

Katarupalli is where renowned yogi, social reformer and poet Vemana attained Samadhi. Through simple yet powerful verses, he jolted society out of the mire of superstitions. I recalled a poem by Vemana which was apt and fits Chandrababu Naidu's betrayal of the people.

The poem says that those who create false hopes and dupe people conveniently,
will face nemesis of the worst form. This is what Chandrababu Naidu is guilty of and the poem predicts what lies in store for him, sooner than later.

Finally, here is my question to the Chief Minister. Is it not a fact that you had duped both DWCRA women and farmers in the name of waiving off their loans? Did you not dupe the unemployed with the promise of either a job or unemployment allowance? Did you ever feel the pangs of conscience at
betraying every section of society?