Anantapur District Police Officers’ Association has sought an unconditional apology from former Anantapur MP and Telugu Desam Party leader J.C. Diwakar Reddy for his ‘irrational and derogatory’ remarks against police officials, and the system as a whole.
At a hurriedly arranged press conference late Wednesday night, the association members Sake Triloknath, Jaffer and Sudhakar Reddy condemned the derogatory remark ‘we will get boot-licking policemen when we come to power.’
The association office-bearers told reporters that a legal action would be initiated against Mr. Diwakar Reddy for his remarks. “Mr. Diwakar Reddy must remember that it was this police force, which was providing security cover to him for the past three decades and speaking in such a demeaning way against the police system was unacceptable,” said Mr. Triloknath.
In the past he had insulted the police personnel by calling them persons of ‘Third Gender’. They reminded the Telugu Desam Party president Nara Chandrababu Naidu he was facing the consequences. “It was unbecoming of Mr. Naidu, who had served as Chief Minister for 14 years, to listen to such rubbish from Mr. Diwakar Reddy, not stopping him or correcting him, but smiling and enjoying the advice given by the former MP,” the police personnel added.
‘Don’t behave like joker’
The officers asked Mr. Reddy not to behave like a joker. “Everyone knows who are licking the boots, hence he need not give sermons to the police personnel,” they quipped. Seeking an unconditional apology at the earliest from Mr. Reddy, they said it was on the advice of the Superintendent of Police that they remained neutral and did not ever side with any political party during their discharge of duties.
‘Lesson not learnt’
Tirupati Special Correspondent adds: Meanwhile, Tirupati Police Officers Association also took serious exception to the remarks of Diwakar Reddy.
Association president M. Somasekhar Reddy, at a media conference, questioned how a senior politician, who had enjoyed constitutional positions and availed the services of the police department in the past, could make such comments. The politicians, who had been rejected by the voters in the recent elections for their questionable behaviour, had still not learnt a lesson, he remarked.
The association members dared former Chief Minister and TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu to initiate action against Mr. Diwakar Reddy to prove his commitment for probity and decorum in public life.
