Anantapur, Dec28: Former Minister and YSRCP leader Sake Shailajanath strongly criticised Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for what he described as “purely opportunistic politics” and deliberate diversionary tactics, TDP creating unnecessary controversy over flexis and animal sacrifice to divert public attention from governance failures. Speaking to the media at the YSRCP office in Anantapur, he clarified that the YSR Congress Party has never supported violence of any kind, and asserted that it is in fact the TDP that has a history of encouraging such practices.
Shailajanath questioned the police action against a few youth over alleged animal sacrifice near flexis, asking whether such treatment was justified and why they were publicly paraded on roads. He reminded that similar acts had occurred earlier during celebrations linked to Chandrababu Naidu and Hindupur MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna, where goats were sacrificed and blood offerings were made to flexis. He asked whether the Chief Minister and Home Minister were unaware of those incidents, and whether cases would now be booked against TDP leaders and workers as well.
He said the government was deliberately portraying isolated incidents around YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s birthday as grave crimes, while ignoring long-standing practices during jatras, village festivals and vows, where animal sacrifice has traditionally taken place. He accused the Chief Minister of using exaggerated rhetoric, accusing the opposition of spreading violence, and even threatening political ostracism, purely to mislead the public.
Shailajanath alleged that the real intention behind this “manufactured outrage” is to divert attention from serious governance failures — deteriorating law and order, rising ganja and drug circulation, illegal registrations using forged documents, harassment of common citizens at police stations, and repeated complaints about police functioning. He recalled that even Union Home Minister Amit Shah had written to the state government on the law-and-order situation, questioning its failure.
He further stated that Andhra Pradesh today has no industrial growth, no jobs, no investments, and no security even for temples, while people are living in fear due to the ruling party’s arbitrary actions. He added that the government’s failed attempt to privatise medical colleges — which did not receive even a single credible bid due to corruption and lack of trust — has also exposed its intentions, and the present controversy is being used as a diversion from that embarrassment.
Issuing a clear message to the police, Shailajanath reminded them that they took oath under the Constitution of India, not under any political party. He said the police exist to protect justice and citizens, not to act at the behest of the ruling party. Referring to incidents in Anantapur where demolitions and force were allegedly carried out under political pressure, he warned that misuse of power against the public would not be accepted.
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