PNS|Tenali
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched a scathing attack on the ruling coalition on Tuesday, alleging a complete breakdown of law and order in the State and accusing the government of reneging on its poll promises. He urged the public to observe June 4 as ‘Betrayal Day’ in protest.
Addressing the media after consoling the families of three youth allegedly subjected to police brutality in Tenali, Jagan strongly condemned the incident, stating that the victims—Rakesh, Victor and Karimullah—were humiliated in public and later falsely implicated in criminal cases. The trio, hailing from Mangalagiri, were reportedly targeted after questioning a constable in mufti during a previous interaction.
Rakesh, employed in Hyderabad, was in town for a court hearing related to an older case, accompanied by Victor, a junior advocate, and Karimullah, a mechanic. According to Jagan, the police picked them up on April 25 and 26, brought them to Tenali, and assaulted them in full public view. He alleged that rowdy-sheets were filed only after the video of the incident surfaced online a month later.
“The victims belong to Dalit and minority communities. Even government doctors allegedly provided false medical reports to downplay their injuries,” Jagan claimed, questioning whether the police would treat TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu similarly, who he said is facing 24 cases himself.
He criticised the police for acting as “collection agents” for TDP leaders, alleging extortion in liquor, sand, mining, and other sectors. He said YSRCP leaders and former ministers were being targeted with fabricated cases.
Citing similar incidents in Dachepalli and Rajamahendravaram, and the harassment of social media activists Sudha Rani and Krishnaveni, Jagan accused the police of operating as per a “Red Book Constitution” rather than the law of the land.
Calling on the public to join the June 4 protest, he said, “The 143 promises made by the TDP have not been fulfilled, welfare schemes have been scrapped, and all sections of society are suffering. People’s patience is being tested.”
