Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh Police, under the command of the Chandrababu Naidu-led National Democratic Alliance government in the state, is cracking down on several social media activists and sympathisers linked to the Opposition—Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party—for allegedly derogatory posts about the leaders of the ruling alliance and their families.
Former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has called the action “an onslaught on democracy” and an attempt to “choke dissenting voices”. According to the YSRCP chief, 680 notices have been issued to his partymen and sympathisers across the state, with 147 cases registered and 49 arrests made over the last few days, as of 12 November.
Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma was also handed a notice at his Hyderabad residence Wednesday, summoning him for enquiry on 19 November. The Prakasam district police has booked the director, acting on the complaint of a local Telugu Desam Party leader that Varma, while promoting his film ahead of the state assembly polls this year, had posted social media content tarnishing the reputation of Naidu, JanaSena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, Naidu’s son and TDP leader Nara Lokesh, and his wife Nara Brahmani.
Varma’s film Vyuham and its immediate sequel movie Shapatham were both embroiled in controversies because they were seen to be targeting Naidu, Lokesh and TDP, while attempting to elevate Jagan’s image in the run-up to polls.
“The 680-figure stated by the former CM, if at all correct, might be all kinds of notices issued by police, including those asking individuals/groups to appear as witnesses. As per our information, 67 notices were issued, under Section 41-A of Code of Criminal Procedure, in the past one week or so, and 39 arrests were made in severe or habitual offence cases,” a top officer at the Mangalagiri police headquarters told ThePrint.
On 5 November, in response to Deputy Chief Minister Kalyan’s remark that he might have to take the home portfolio if the police remains lethargic in dealing with crimes against women and the targeting of the leaders of the ruling alliance by YSRCP on social media, home minister Vangalapudi Anitha had announced that the department “is clearly instructed to act sternly against social media trolls, to bring such elements under control”.
“Cases should be filed against those posting abusive content on social media. There should be action,” Vangalapudi said at a press conference. She added that Kalyan’s anguish was understandable as she was also a victim of “social media vultures”.
“One sadist threatens to rape/abuse Kalyan’s daughters, one fellow talks vulgarly about Bhuvaneswari (CM Naidu’s wife), another one comments about Lokesh-Brahmani. Some have targeted me, the home minister, depriving us of peaceful sleep at night. This is not just one individual, but an en masse attack. Should we not act against such offenders?” Vangalapudi remarked, asking the YSRCP chief “to not misinterpret or misrepresent corrective action as an attack on freedom of speech”.
One of the first such YSRCP social media activists that the police chased is Varra Ravindra Reddy, who has been accused of posting and circulating vulgar remarks, especially during YSRCP regime and polls, on Naidu, Lokesh, Kalyan, Vangalapudi, Andhra Pradesh Congress Chief Y.S. Sharmila, and her cousin Dr Suneetha Narreddy.
Sharmila and Suneetha, Jagan’s sister and cousin, went against their CM brother during the polls, accusing him of siding with conspirators in the murder of Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, in March 2019. Varra, who hails from Pulivendula, home to the YSR family, was Jagan’s wife Y.S. Bharathi’s personal assistant, and is reportedly close to YSRCP MP from Kadapa, Avinash Reddy.
