Pushpa 2 dialogue on YSRCP placard sparks row

Police in Palnadu said they registered a case against Raviteja and have taken him into custody.

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V Anitha accused Jagan of encouraging such “violent” statements. Anitha said the message on the placard implied that if YSRCP comes to power, the heads of TDP leaders and workers would be cut off. “These YSRCP workers display such violent signs because their leader encourages it and uses such language. It is offensive and a violent threat,’’ Anitha said.

Jagan hit back, saying that the TDP-led NDA government in the state was finding everything offensive and objectionable. “So, now you cannot even quote a line from a movie? Are we still living in a democracy?”

Jagan also said the YSRCP worker in question was previously with the TDP. “He got fed up with the unfulfilled promises of the TDP and its leadership and joined the YSRCP, and expressed his resentment. This government finds that offensive,” the former chief minister said.

Referring to restrictions put on his visit to Palnadu on Wednesday, and the June 11 attack on his convoy allegedly by TDP workers at Podili, Jagan said on Friday that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was scared about “failure in governance”.

“His impatience is being manifested in diversion politics and foisting false cases against political opponents,” Jagan said.

He also claimed that he had received an overwhelming response to his tours.

“Chandrababu has been showing the traits of a dictator by trying to suppress any dissent and gag the voices of those who question the misuse of police. The modus operandi is to catch the small fry, use coercion to seek confessions and file cases against popular YSRCP leaders, unmindful of the fact that people can see through his game,” Jagan said.

Chief Minister Naidu, however, chided Jagan for creating problems for the police during his visit to Rentapalla village in Palnadu district. “Police gave permission for a few vehicles in Jagan’s convoy and for 100 people to gather. Ignoring rules and regulations, he entered narrow lanes and created stampede-like situations. Jagan and YSRCP should remember why people gave them only 11 seats — it is due to this kind of dirty tricks,” Naidu said.

The CM also said Jagan was siding with drug peddlers, liquor smugglers, and gamblers, and accused YSRCP leaders of unveiling statues of criminals in villages. On Wednesday, Jagan had visited the residence of former deputy sarpanch Korlakunta Nagamalleswara Rao. YSRCP alleges that he was driven to suicide by harassment from the police and the ruling TDP.