Fact Check: Old video falsely shared as AP speaker criticising Dy CM Pawan Kalyan

Hyderabad: A video of Andhra Pradesh Assembly speaker and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Ayyanna Patrudu Chintakayala is circulating on social media.

While some claims accompanying the video suggest that the video is recent and shows Ayyanna Patrudu criticising the State’s deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan, other posts indicate that he was throwing barbs at the State’s coalition government of TDP, JSP and BJP for imposing a tax on garbage.

A user shared the video on X and wrote, “Ayyanna is hurling abuses at deputy CM Pawan Kalyan. (translated from Telugu)” (Archive)

“The coalition government imposed a Rs 90 tax on garbage,” wrote another X user who shared the video. (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false as the video is from September 2021 and the TDP leader is criticising the then Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government in AP.

Upon conducting a reverse image search of the video’s keyframe, we found it was published by the verified YouTube channel Mahaa News on September 18, 2021. The title of the video states that Ayyanna Patrudu criticising the YSRCP government.

We also found the extended version of the video published on TDP’s official Facebook page on September 17, 2021. The Telugu title states that TDP’s senior leader Ayyanna Patrudu criticised Jagan’s administration with sarcastic remarks.

In the extended video, the TDP leader can be seen criticising the then-ruling government and also takes the name of some of the ministers in the AP cabinet, especially the home minister. In 2021, the AP government was led by the YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. This proves that the TDP leader was referring to the YSCRP government.

According to a report by The News Minute on September 18, 2021, Ayyanna Patrudu, a senior TDP leader, referred to then-CM Jagan Reddy and other YSRCP leaders as ‘garbage people’ in response to the introduction of a garbage tax in urban local bodies.

Patrudu also made derogatory comments about other YSRCP leaders. In retaliation, YSRCP leaders and supporters staged a protest outside TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu’s residence, demanding an apology from Ayyanna Patrudu for his remarks.

According to a report by The Hindu on April 19, 2024, the collection of user charges from households by civic bodies in Andhra Pradesh became a significant issue ahead of the 2024 General Elections in the State.

On October 2, 2021, Jagan Reddy launched the Clean Andhra Pradesh (CLAP) - Jagananna Swachha Sankalpam programme, in alignment with the Centre’s urban reforms under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. As part of the CLAP programme, civic bodies in the state charged Rs 30 per household per month in slums and Rs 120 for individual houses and apartments. The charges for business establishments varied from Rs 200 to Rs 15,000.

Hence, we conclude that the viral video does not show Andhra Pradesh speaker Ayyanna Patrudu Chintakayala criticising deputy CM Pawan Kalyan or the present State government led by chief minister Chandrababu Naidu.