YSRCP brought 'rule of rape' in AP: TDP's Pratibha Bharati, V Anitha

Amaravati: TDP senior leader and former Assembly Speaker K. Pratibha Bharati and Telugu Mahila state president V. Anitha on Friday slammed the YSRCP rulers for bringing a "rule of rape and atrocities" in the state. They blamed Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy's complacency for rising atrocities against women and girls.

Addressing a joint press conference here, Ms. Bharati said over 800 atrocities took place while the police recorded over 1.12 lakh attacks and harassments against women. Despite the severity of the situation, Jagan is not coming out of his Tadepalli palace, she alleged and added that he did not say a word regarding the atrocity that took place near his own residence.

She recalled how TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had visited Dachepalli and vowed to take stringent action in the molestation case there. The accused person had no option but to end his own life. The Jagan regime has failed to put fear in the hearts of offenders and that has led to endless atrocities in the past three years, she said.

Ms. Vangalapudi Anitha said that over 60 atrocities took place against women from 1 April to 12 May this year. It is enough to say that the Chief Minister is inefficient and the woman Home minister irresponsible, she said, adding that AP rose to the top position in the country not for development but for sexual assaults, illegal trafficking, and offences against working women.

The TDP leader said minor girls aged around six to seven years had become victims at Narsipatnam, Chodavaram, and Gurajala. The YSRCP ministers are making settlements instead of bringing justice to the victims, she alleged. She further said that irrigation minister Rambabu was preparing a settlement in a child assault case in his own office which was shameful and unpardonable.

Criticising the Disha law, Ms. Anitha said Jagan had introduced the law reacting to an incident in the neighbouring state. What law will the CM bring now to punish the accused in the rape and impregnation of a 15-year-old Dalit girl in Proddatur? she asked.

The TDP leader asked whether the Chief Minister had no eyes to see the ghastly crimes being committed against women and girls. A pharmacy student was gang-raped and murdered but the police tried to turn it into a suicide. Only after the parents raised a hue and cry were two to three persons arrested, she said.

The TDP strongly objected to the Women's Commission chairperson addressing joint press conferences with the Home minister. Two atrocities are being committed every day since the Home minister assumed office, the TDP leaders alleged.