Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu was detained at Tirupati airport by Renigunta police while on his way to a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) protest on Monday. Footage from the airport showed the head of TDP organizing a brief sit-in in the airport’s arrivals hall after he was denied entry to the temple city. Senior police officials were seen trying to placate a visibly upset Naidu.
“What is this? What is this … I have no fundamental rights to know the collector? What is happening to this country? I worked for 14 years as chief minister. I am a leader of the opposition. What is this tamasha. Why did you stop me? You didn’t give me permission … I’ll sit right here, ”Chandrababu Naidu was heard saying in the confrontation with the police.
Naidu then tweeted a video of the incident, saying “they will not silence us.”
We will not stop.
We will not be silenced.
Your fear-driven, state-sponsored revenge won’t stop me from reaching out to my people.
Grow, @ysjagan #Chittoor #Andhra Pradesh pic.twitter.com/N6fJP7qSaJ– N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 1, 2021
On Sunday, Tirupati Municipal Corporation officials allegedly looted a tea stand that belonged to a TDP leader, whose wife was participating in the municipal elections on March 10.
The TDP accused the ruling YSR Congress of resorting to pressure tactics to get opposition candidates to withdraw from the race. To protest this, the TDP planned to organize a protest under the leadership of Naidu. However, the local police would have denied the TDP permission to hold the protest, citing the Covid-19 guidelines and the Model Code of Conduct for municipal ballot boxes.
Tirupati and Chittoor police placed top district TDP leaders under house arrest prior to Naidu’s visit, according to the news agency. PTI.
TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu strongly condemned the police action and said it further exposed the “draconian rule” of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“The arrest of the opposition leader is nothing more than trampling on civil liberties. Is there a rule of law in the AP? ”Said Ramakrishnudu.
By the way, YSRCP head YS Jaganmohan Reddy organized a similar protest at Visakhapatnam airport in 2017 before becoming Chief Minister. Reddy squatted on the track with other party leaders for nearly two hours before being sent back to Hyderabad. He was scheduled to participate in a candlelight march demanding special category status (SCS) for Andhra Pradesh.
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