Detained, Chandrababu Naidu stages sit-in protest at Tirupati airport

Naveen S Garewal

Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, March 1

After being detained by the Andhra Pradesh Police, Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Assembly N Chandrababu Naidu staged a sit-in protest inside the arrival lounge of the Tirupati airport on Monday.

Naidu arrived at Tirupati from Hyderabad to participate in a protest but was stopped by the police and detained. Even as Naidu sought to know why he was being detained, the police denied him the permission for the protest citing the model code of conduct, which is in place for urban local body elections, and prevalence of coronavirus pandemic.

"I have been the Chief Minister for 14 years and am now the Leader of Opposition. Don't I have the right to protest? Why can't I go and meet the District Collector and the SP?” Naidu angrily questioned the police officials and sat on the floor of the airport lounge.

On Sunday, the Tirupati Municipal Corporation officials had allegedly ransacked a tea stall belonging to a TDP leader, whose wife was contesting the March 10 elections.

The party alleged that the ruling YSR Congress wanted the TDP candidate to withdraw from the contest but since she refused, the tea stall of her husband was ransacked.

TDP politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu strongly condemned the police action against Naidu and said it further exposed the draconian rule of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

"Detention of the opposition leader is nothing but trampling of civil liberties. Is there a rule of law in AP?" Ramakrishnudu questioned in a statement.