HYDERABAD: The Telugu Desam president and Leader of the Opposition, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has described the one-year rule of the Congress as "a saga of all-round failures, non-performance and unkept promises."

"The Government headed by Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has come to be known for being undemocratic, encouraging criminalisation and mounting counter attacks on political adversaries," he told The Hindu on Friday.

`Broken promises'

Mr. Naidu said the failures were all-encompassing. "It was unable to check farmers' suicide and went back on its promise of paying ex gratia. The first decision on providing free power stands diluted. After much brouhaha over irrigation projects, not a single project has taken off and the tenders process is steeped in corruption benefiting a favoured few."

When it came to governance, the less said the better, Mr. Naidu observed. "With no control over the administration, the bureaucracy and the special advisors have usurped the powers of the political leadership and making comments out of turn threatening democracy," he said, pointing to the Director-General of Police, the Advisor on Irrigation and the Inspector General of Police of Rayalaseema region.

"They have clearly crossed their limits. Such erosion of democratic institutions has never happened in the past."

Series of setbacks

He charged the Chief Minister with behaving in an undemocratic manner. "He forgets that the Opposition has a role to play in a democracy."

He said the series of adverse judgments by courts reflected the "ineffective functioning" of the Government. "Irrigation tenders, reservation to minorities, Excise policy, B.Ed colleges, liquidation of Prudential Bank, post-graduate medical counselling, there is no end to the reverses suffered by the Government. Yet it seems to have not learnt any lessons from the mistakes."

On the law and order situation, he said it was at its lowest ebb. "By encouraging factions, criminals, touts and landgrabbers, a wrong signal is being sent. Police officers wielded enormous power and went to the extent of settling disputes."

He specifically mentioned how the police offered to settle a dispute after an actress complained to them about an individual grabbing her land. "It is a dangerous trend." On irrigation projects, the TDP president said his party favoured their construction and the Government's campaign to the contrary was motivated.

Tenders issue

"All we want is a check on corruption and maintenance of transparency and accountability in the tender process.

As Opposition we cannot remain silent spectators to corruption. If money did not change hands, why is the Government not showing similar interest in releasing old-age pensions and scholarships to weaker section students?" he asked.

Mr. Naidu charged the Government with adopting "mean" methods.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous | Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Updates: Breaking News |