The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Telugu Desam cries halt to political murders

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Tuesday, Sep 07, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Telugu Desam cries halt to political murders

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 6. Outraged by the killing of three of its functionaries in Anantapur district, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has asked the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, to either put an end to the `political murders' or quit.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, six senior TDP leaders -- Y. Ramakrishnudu, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, K. Vidyadher Rao, Kala Venkata Rao, K. Vijayarama Rao and B. Gopalakrishna Reddy -- condemned the murders of Kanaganapalli Mandal Parishad president, T. Prabhakar and two others -- Ramakrishna and G. Srinivas -- in separate incidents.

`Implement assurance'

They said the party was viewing the incidents "very seriously" and asked the Chief Minister to implement the assurance made by him on the floor of the Assembly that political killings in Anantapur would be controlled. Alleging that the Panchayat Raj Minister, J. C. Diwakar Reddy, was behind the "political murders," they sought his dismissal.

The TDP leaders wanted the Home Minister, K. Jana Reddy, to resign on "moral grounds." Accusing the Anantapur SP and the DIG of "continued negligence of duty" in failing to maintain the law and order and provide security to TDP activists, they urged the Government to transfer them. They also wanted the Anantapur DSP, Bala Narasimha Reddy, suspended and prosecuted.

Referring to the killing of the MPP chief, they said soon after elections, two of his four gunmen were withdrawn by the Government. Later, the other two were also withdrawn and the bullet-proof jacket was taken away.

The MPP chief had submitted a representation to the Home Minister on August 20, explaining the threat to his life. He also submitted a representation to the DIG, Anantapur, hours before he was shot dead.

Replying to a question, the TDP leaders said they would "approach the National Human Rights Commission" in this regard.

BJP blames police

In a statement, the BJP vice-president, S.V. Seshagiri Rao, blamed the police for the MPP chief's murder. He said attacks on political opponents had increased since the Congress Government came to power and wanted a judicial probe into the incident.

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