Telugu Desam Party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was detained by police at Visakhapatnam airport after a five-hour-long drama on Thursday evening.
Naidu landed at the airport at around 11.45 am on his two-day ‘Praja Chaitanya Yatra’ (People awakening tour) and was about to visit Pendurthy area of the city to interact with some Dalits whose lands were allegedly encroached upon by ruling YSR Congress party leaders, when his convoy was blocked by thousands of YSRC workers shouting “Go Back Naidu,” slogans.
The airport soon turned into a political battleground with TDP workers raising slogans in Naidu’s support and against Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, which was followed by clashes between the two groups.
Stating that the former chief minister had no moral right to visit Visakhapatnam after opposing it as the executive capital, the YSRC workers hurled eggs, tomatoes and footwear at his convoy. They blocked the Kolkata-Chennai national highway passing through Visakhapatnam and did not allow Naidu’s convoy to move further.
The police were present in large numbers but had a tough time in controlling the protesting workers from both parties.
The TDP chief waited over two hours for the YSRC workers to give way in his car before deciding to walk, but was stopped by the police.
An agitated Naidu staged a sit-in on the road and argued with the police questioning why he was prevented from continuing his ‘Yatra’ despite taking prior permission from the Visakhapatnam police.
{{/usCountry}}An agitated Naidu staged a sit-in on the road and argued with the police questioning why he was prevented from continuing his ‘Yatra’ despite taking prior permission from the Visakhapatnam police.
{{/usCountry}}“How can the police allow thousands of YSRC workers to come to the airport and create a tense atmosphere? When I was in power, did I or my party workers stop Jagan from undertaking ‘Padayatra’? These people are disturbing the peaceful atmosphere in Vizag. Let the police do whatever they can – they can fire at me or even kill me in encounter,” he thundered.
The high drama continued till 5 pm when the police finally served a notice of arrest to Naidu under Section 151 of Criminal Procedure Code, citing his own safety. They took him to the airport and confined to the lounge.
He was told that he will not be allowed to step out till the situation came under control and that he would be sent back to Vijayawada later.
TDP leader Sri Bharat alleged that the police deliberately allowed unruly behavior by the YSR Congress workers.
“Police have failed in their duties,” he said.
YSRC spokesman and MLA Ambati Rambabu, however, said the ruling party had nothing to do with the protests against Naidu at Visakhapatnam airport.
“The people of Visakhapatnam are angry with Naidu for opposing the shifting of executive capital from Amaravati. They came to the airport on their own and prevented Naidu from entering the city,” he explained.
Naidu told reporters later that his party would approach the high court and take legal recourse to continue his ‘Yatra’.