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The three partners of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Andhra Pradesh on Monday demanded that the Election Commission of India take stringent action against the police officials, including state director general of police (DGP) K V Rajendranath Reddy for failing to take adequate security measures during the public meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Chilakaluripet in Palnadu district on Sunday.
Representatives of the Telugu Desam Party, the Jana Sena Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party met chief electoral officer of Andhra Pradesh M K Meena and submitted a representation, requesting that the police officials concerned be taken off from their duties till the election process is completed so as to ensure the conduct of free and fair conduct of elections.
Apart from the DGP, the NDA allies named Additional DGP (intelligence) P S R Anjaneyulu, inspector general (Guntur range) G Pala Raju and Palnadu superintendent of police Ravi Sankhar Reddy as responsible for the chaos at the Prime Minister’s rally.
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In their representation which was signed among others by TDP politburo member Varla Ramaiah, JSP leader Bandireddy Ramakrishna and BJP media cell in-charge Pathuri Nagabhushanam, the NDA allies alleged that the police authorities had not made proper security arrangements, despite a representation given by TDP state president K Atchennaidu to the DGP on March 12 itself.
“There was a conspicuous adamant attitude and reluctance making security arrangements. The police miserably failed in controlling the crowds and regulating the traffic. As a result, the crowds pushed themselves towards the stage and also towards the sound system interrupting very often the speech of the Prime Minister,” they said.
They also alleged that the power supply was also cut off for nearly 11 minutes, which appeared to be deliberately done at the behest of the ruling YSRCP in order to disrupt the meeting. “The Prime Minister himself had to request the public, who were violating the protocol, to move away from climbing poles and towers meant for flood lights. Shockingly, there was no response from the police who did not make any attempt to control the crowds,” they said.
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The NDA allies further alleged that the police had not even allowed bouquets, shawl and mementos to be presented to Modi by TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and JSP chief Pawan Kalyan, in spite of SPG scanning and allowing them. “The local police deliberately stopped them and said that they need directions from the SP,” they said.
The police also did not take any steps when the public were seen roaming in the D-Zone before stage, which is a sterile zone as per the security norms. “It appears the local police, in connivance with the ruling YSRCP, had deliberately planned to sabotage the meeting which was attended by huge crowds,” they alleged.
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They also accused the police of creating hurdles to the public, including the VIPs from reaching the venue of the rally causing heavy traffic jams. The police deliberately stopped many vehicles on both sides of the national highway and made the public intentionally to walk for kilometers together to reach the meeting under scorching sun, they said.
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