Andhra Pradesh

TDP plans campaign on political killings

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 20. Charging the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, with failing to control the "unabated political murders" in Anantapur district, the Telugu Desam today said that it would go to people on the issue.

Addressing a press conference on Monday, former Ministers, K.Vijayarama Rao and T. Seetharam, said the party was "seriously thinking" of taking the issue to people and would exhaust all democratic fora in this regard. Referring to yesterday's murder of a TDP ZTPC member, Aswartha Narayana, allegedly by rival Congress activists, they said it was a "meticulously planned killing."

`YSR not acting firm'

They alleged that so far 16 TDP functionaries had been killed by Congressmen in Anantapur district alone and 35 all over the State during the last four months. Accusing the Chief Minister of failing to send a "strong message" that such violence would be dealt with firmly, they asked him to dismiss the Minister and take action against the MLAs, who they alleged were "responsible" for it. They reiterated their demand for appointment of a sitting High Court Judge to head the commission proposed to be appointed to probe the political murders in Anantapur district.

The State Government could approach the Chief Justice of another High Court for the services of a sitting judge, they added.

Plea to police

Urging the police to act "impartially," the TDP leaders found fault with a police officer for making "tendentious statements and jumping to conclusions" even while yesterday's murder case was being investigated. They said the Preventive Detention Act had been invoked against three TDP activists and one Congress functionary in the district so far while the victims of the violence belonged to the Telugu Desam.

They took exception to the reported remarks of an IPS officer asking why the TDP leaders were criticising the Chief Minister on the issue.

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