Sajjala Says Democracy Under Threat

In the: YSRC state coordinator Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has launched a scathing attack on the TD government, accusing it of misusing power to target political opponents and stifle dissent.

He made these remarks after visiting former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy at the Nellore Central Jail on Saturday, who is currently in judicial custody in connection with a mining case.

Speaking to the media outside the jail, Ramakrishna Reddy alleged that Govardhan Reddy was arrested without proper legal grounds and described the action as part of a broader pattern of political vendetta.

“This government has turned the rule of law into a ‘Red Book regime’. Institutions are collapsing and there is growing fear among the people. If we had done this during our time, Chandrababu Naidu would have been in jail within three months,” Ramakrishna Reddy said.

He claimed that non-serious and bailable charges were being turned into non-bailable ones to detain Opposition leaders. He also questioned the basis of the arrests, saying that many FIRs lack proper evidence and rely heavily on coerced statements.

Ramakrishna Reddy accused the ruling coalition of orchestrating false cases against the YSRC leaders, alleging that they were manipulating the media and using police power to suppress opposing voices.

“Today it’s our leaders, tomorrow it could be ordinary citizens. When law enforcement acts without accountability, everyone is at risk,” he said.

He also pointed to incidents where he claims police acted like “goons,” citing a recent case in Tenali where police were reportedly seen publicly assaulting youth.

Referring to the arrests of Opposition figures including former MP Nandigam Suresh, Ramakrishna Reddy said many are being detained for prolonged periods without trial, often on questionable grounds.

“They even went after IPS officers and DGP-level officials using outdated or unverified complaints,” he said. “If we acted this way, would it be acceptable?”

He criticised the arrest of Govardhan Reddy, saying all charges were initially minor and bailable but were later reclassified under the SC/ST Atrocities Act and other serious sections.

Ramakrishna Reddy also highlighted the use of social media surveillance and alleged that cases are being filed even under kidnapping and attempted murder sections against YSRC supporters online.

“This is not just about politics. It’s about the erosion of democratic values,” he said. “If this continues, the ruling alliance will have to pay a heavy political price,” he added.