Congress alleges total breakdown of law and order in Andhra Pradesh

APCC vice-president criticises YSR Congress Party over suicide by three members of a family in Kadapa district

A.P. Congress Committee vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji.

Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji on March 24 (Sunday) attributed the suicide by three members of a family in Kadapa district to “total lawlessness prevailing in the State under YSR Congress Party”.

In a statement, the State Congress vice-president referred to a recent case of the family dying in a suicide pact after their land records were reportedly tampered with by the local revenue officials. Mr. Shivaji said the hapless 47-year-old weaver Subbarao and his wife and daughter were driven by frustration to end their life, as they were unable to sell their three- acre land, which is reported to have transferred on somebody else’s name in the official records without his knowledge. “He had been running from pillar to post in the last six months seeking justice but his pleas went unheeded. He tried in vain to explain to the revenue officials that he had inherited the land from his ancestors by showing them the proof,” Mr. Shivaji said.

Referring to reports that the ‘victim’ was under pressure as he had been reportedly receiving threats by local ruling party leaders who were allegedly hand-in-glove with the revenue officials, Mr. Shivaji said unable to sell his land to clear his debts and giving in to the threats by the local ruling party leaders, Subbarao resorted to the extreme step.

The Congress leader alleged that corruption was at its peak and that the Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy did little to check the total breakdown of law and order. Landgrabbers ruled the roost and there was no protection for Dalits, minorites and women in the State, he alleged.

‘Pay compensation’

He demanded a probe by a sitting judge into the circumstances that led to the suicide by three members of the family and stringent punishment to those responsible for it. He also wanted the government to pay adequate compensation to the elder daughter of Subbarao, who had lost her entire family, and a government job for her.

Mr. Shivaji said national BC Welfare Committee president R. Krishnaiah who had been campaigning in favour of the YSR Congress party urging people to vote for the party in the elections, should make a statement on the issue.