Pawan Kalyan cancels 'Jana Vani' after arrests, calls Jagan a 'criminal'

VISAKHAPATNAM: Jana Sena chief and Power Star Pawan Kalyan on Sunday called off his Jana Vani programme in Visakhapatnam, citing the arrest of his party activists on Saturday night.

Addressing a press conference here, flanked by his brother Naga Babu and Nadendla Manohar, Pawan Kalyan found fault with the police for their behaviour and launched a no-holds-barred attack on the YSRCP and Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Calling Jagan a criminal, he alleged that the Chief Minister and his YSRCP was scared and intimidated by Jana Sena and hence plotted the arrests besides using the police force to impose restrictions on their movements and programmes.

Pawan Kalyan, on this occasion, reeled out statistical details to say how one person was taking all the decisions determining the fate of the state. He wondered how the YSRCP chief YS Jagan could raise the bogey of decentralisation when he himself had been fostering a regime of centralised power.

"Why isn't the logic of decentralisation applied to the government departments and freedom be given to 26 ministers and five deputy CMs? They have been reduced to figure-heads while one person takes all the decisions. Decentralisation is being used only in voicing the decision of one person and when it comes to attacking opponents in filthy language," Pawan Kalyan remarked.

"Right from releasing funds to various corporations and local bodies to diverting Rs 450 crore funds meant for the welfare of 35 lakh building construction workers to private entities; deciding the sand mining rights and keeping 6.2 lakh registered unemployed youths in limbo, the decisions are being taken by one person with no logic of decentralisation applied. In a nutshell, one family decides how the state should run. Where is decentralisation in that?," the Jana Sena chief asked.

Why Visakhapatnam, why not Srikakulam?

In a broadside against the YSRCP-led Visakha Garjana, Pawan Kalyan remarked that people's movements could not be merely contrived by leaders. He also found fault with the concept of a ruling party spearheading a movement instead of implementing programmes. According to him, only those in opposition and the deprived lot of the society, should come out into the streets to protest.

Pawan Kalyan was also in disagreement with the concept of making an already well-developed city like Visakhapatnam as the capital. "What is the need for making Visakhapatnam a capital when it is already a well-developed city, on the verge of being world-renowned? Why not Srikakulam? I would not muster the courage to oppose it, had you hand-picked Srikakulam which is still under-developed," he said.

On the issue of Amaravati, he said that they had already taken a stand in support of it but said in the same breath that he was never part of the mechanism that zeroed in on Amaravati as the only capital. He justified it by saying that his party had never been a decision-making factor.

Alleging high-handed behaviour of the police led by the Visakhapatnam police commissioner, he demanded the immediate release of more than 100 Jana Sena activists who were arrested late on Saturday night. While clarifying that he and his party had highest regard for law and order and had no issues with the police, he issued a veiled threat that the police officials should also factor in their long future as 'political regimes come and go'.

"Why did you not take any action so far over the gruesome murder of his own uncle (YS Vivekananda Reddy)? What happened to the Kodi Katthi case (referring to the attack on YS Jagan inside Visakhapatnam airport when he was in opposition)? We have no issues with you but you (police) are being controlled and misused by a criminal for vested interests," he remarked.

He said that the YSRCP intimidatory tactics would not scare them and force them into submission. Claiming that the schedule of their Jana Vani programme in Visakhapatnam was finalised three months back, the actor-turned-politician alleged that the YSRCP regime used the police to create obstacles and foil their plans.

Demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Jana Sena activists, who were rounded up on Saturday night, Pawan Kalyan announced the suspension of their planned Jana Vani programme until their party workers were freed. He was also unsure of their immediate plan of action and said that they would hold a meeting and decide on whether or not to visit the police station where his partymen were lodged.

Pawan Kalyan was also evasive on the attack on the vehicles of some ministers on Saturday night allegedly by the Jana Sena activists. On the contrary, he sought to liken it to the 'Kodi Katthi' case and avoided a direct answer to a pointed question. "I am not aware if this was also staged just like the Kodi Katthi episode," was how he responded.