Demand unconditional apology from Pawan
PNS|Vijayawada
Protest rallies and dharnas took place across the State on Monday, as hundreds of village and ward volunteers gathered in front of district collectorates, village and ward secretariats, to express their condemnation of Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan’s recent statements during his Varahi yatra in Eluru.
Volunteers demanded an immediate and unconditional apology from Pawan Kalyan for his derogatory comments regarding the volunteer system. Effigies and posters of the actor-politician were burned in the premises of secretariats throughout the state as a sign of protest.
On Sunday night, Pawan Kalyan alleged, citing reported central government intelligence agencies, that there was rampant human trafficking in the state and that the volunteer system under the YSRCP-led government put women and girls at risk. He claimed that around 30,000 women had gone missing in 2019-20, with only 14,000 of them returning home.
However, volunteers from across the state strongly refuted the actor-politician’s claims and criticized him for making false and derogatory statements that could incite controversy.
In addition, YSRCP leaders and ministers strongly denounced Kalyan’s remarks, accusing him of making baseless allegations for his own political gain.
During a protest rally in Vijayawada, a female volunteer stated, “Pawan Kalyan is attempting to vilify the volunteer system with his baseless speeches for his own political interests. However, the people of the state are well aware of and grateful for the services provided by the volunteers.”
Expressing anger over his comments, a volunteer from Kakinada said, “Does he even have an understanding of the ground reality in our villages? He should talk to the people and learn about the services provided by volunteers during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
While burning Kalyan’s effigy, another volunteer from Eluru stated, “By disrespecting volunteers with baseless allegations, he is disrespecting the pension we provide to our senior citizens on the 1st of every month and the ration kits we distributed during the Covid times.”
Responding to the issue, YSRCP MP Midhun Reddy remarked that Pawan Kalyan is attempting to tarnish the image of volunteers, but his opportunistic politics is evident to everyone. “Official statistics clearly indicate that the number of missing women has significantly decreased in recent years compared to the previous TDP tenure,” added Reddy. He further challenged Kalyan, asking, “Do you have the courage to publicly declare that you will abolish the volunteer system if you come into power?”
YSRCP leaders emphasised that volunteers are hardworking individuals who consistently go above and beyond to assist people in every possible way. They diligently provide assistance to seniors with their pensions, support farmers, aid mothers and children, and remain available to help the public with just a phone call.
