Jagan: YSRCP denied LoP status to gag its voice

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Wednesday said that the coalition government led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is unwilling to give Leader of Opposition status to YSRCP to gag the voice of the Opposition.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said that he would continue to highlight people’s issues through the media.

Addressing a meeting of party legislators ahead of the Monsoon Session of the legislature beginning on August 17, Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the MLCs to be vigilant and raise issues of public interest and highlight the failures of the Naidu government in the Legislative Council.

YSRCP has been boycotting the Assembly for nearly two years, demanding the Leader of Opposition (LoP) status.

Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the TDP-led coalition government is unwilling to give LoP status to YSRCP which is the principal Opposition party, to gag its voice. He said he will highlight the issues through the media to show people the other side of the coin.

“As we have strength in the Council, we should be the voice of the people and highlight the issues we have taken up, which include irregularities in DSC on which we had taken up 10 types of protests over the past 74 days, placing all evidences to establish our viewpoint,” Jagan Mohan Reddy said.

“We exposed leakage and outsourcing scandals, irregularities in sports quota, changes in Government Orders and demanded a CBI enquiry into the involvement of Education Minister Nara Lokesh, who is the son of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu,” he said.

The YSRCP chief told the party legislators that they have to raise the issues of fees reimbursement and ‘Vasathi Deevena’ as students are badly affected due to the pending bills for 13 quarters accumulating to over Rs 9,100 crore and Rs 3,300 crore respectively.

Stating that the government has released only Rs 2,900 crore, he asked the MLCs to raise the issue in the House and insist on a discussion.

“On the farmers’ issue we have to raise our voice as no crop is getting MSP, no sufficient water is being provided and free crop insurance is being suspended pushing the farmers into distress,” Jagan Mohan Reddy said.

Providing viability gap funding for PPP projects besides granting other concessions to private players pushes the burden on the people and the government’s plans to privatise public services should be questioned strongly, Jagan Mohan Reddy said.

He stated that the repeal of Disha Bill and cases against BCs should be raised vociferously as the unjust and vindictive cases are being filed for questioning the government. The cases against Chintada Ravi and Mustafa are fabricated targeting BC leaders, he said.

YS Jagan said junior doctors’ strike, dissatisfaction among employees besides the ire of women, youth and unemployed and all sections of people should be highlighted.

He asked the legislators to go to the House fully prepared with all data on hand and expose the government and its failures.