'Don't I Have Rights': Chandrababu Naidu Protests at Tirupati Airport as Cops Deny Entry to Temple Town

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu was detained at Tirupati airport by Renigunta Police while on his way to a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) protest on Monday. TDP chief staged a brief sit-in protest at the airport’s arrival lounge after being denied entry into the temple town.

“What is this? What is this… don’t I have fundamental rights to meet the collector? What is happening to this country? I worked for 14 years as chief minister. I am a leader of Opposition. What is this tamasha? Why did you detain me? You didn’t give me permission… I will sit right here,” Chandrababu Naidu was heard saying in the confrontation with the police.

Naidu also tweeted the video of the incident stating “we will not be silenced.” TDP leaders have accused the ruling YSR Congress of resorting to pressure tactics to get opposition candidates to withdraw from the contest. To protest this, the TDP planned to organise a protest under Naidu’s leadership. However, local police had reportedly denied permission for the TDP to hold the protest, citing Covid-19 guidelines and Model Code of Conduct for the municipal polls.

This comes after former Minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President, Andhra Pradesh K Atchannaidu on Monday demanded an explanation from the incumbent Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YCR) leaders on why the former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu was not allowed to hold his meetings in the state.

Atchannaidu asserted that Chandrababu Naidu who has served as chief minister for over 14 years and has over 40-year-long political standing, the YCP leaders had no right to create obstacles for visits of such a senior leader. Citizens have doubts whether they have been brought under a jungle raj after the YCP came to power, he added.

The TDP leader also condemned house arrests of their party’s Chittoor district leaders ahead of Chandrababu Naidu’s tour in Tirupati. “With what right, they had arrested the Opposition leaders without assigning valid reasons? The YCP leaders are forgetting the fact that Chandrababu Naidu was also an NSG protectee,” he said.

Atchannaidu also accused CM Jagan Reddy of behaving like Hitler and Mussolini with total contempt towards democratic systems and ideologies. He stated that Jagan Reddy’s rule was pursuing an agenda of arrogance, adamance, dictatorship and political vendetta. Thousands of people were allowed to take part in rallies and meetings of caste associations but no permission was being given to democratic protests of the opposition leaders.

He further demanded clarification from the incumbent state government that whether the chief minister and his MLAs were afraid of giving permission to the TDP meetings because their massive irregularities and violations would be exposed.

TDP agitation would not stop and it would not be afraid if some of its leaders were put under false arrests, he asserted. Accusing the government of goondaism, misdeeds, and oppression, he added that It was only because of the rising unpopularity of Jagan Reddy’s rule that the YCP MLAs and leaders were unleashing oppression and threats on everybody.

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