Dubbing the move to install a statue of Tipu Sultan in Proddatur as ‘unconstitutional’, the BJP has accused YSRCP MLA Rachamallu Sivaprasad Reddy of resorting to appeasement politics to cover up for the ‘State government’s failure’ on many fronts.
BJP State general secretary S. Vishnuvardhan Reddy on Tuesday submitted representations the district Collector and the Superintendent of Police on Tuesday, seeking their intervention to stop the move what he called an attempt to install a statue illegally.
He accused the MLA of unilaterally going ahead with the plan, claiming that it had not been approved by the district statues committee headed by the Collector.
“It is a constitutional requirement to get an approval from the committee, but Kadapa seems to be an exception. The YSRCP leaders think that the Chief Minister’s district is beyond the constitutional purview,” said Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy.
Recalling a similar attempt made in Kadapa town in 1996, Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy said the local people had not only pulled down the statue, but also dumped the legislator who initiated the move.
“The people of Karnataka had dethroned the Congress government for this very reason. The Proddatur MLA will also face a similar consequence,” he warned.
The BJP leader further alleged that the idea of installing the statue was an attempt by the ruling party to divert the attention of people from a ‘series of failures’. “Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy should not to stir up a hornet’s nest for the sake of a few minority votes,” he said.
