In a stinging rebuke of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s administration, former Chief Minister and YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy stated that the Supreme Court’s directive to immediately release senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao was a “resounding slap on the face” of the current government.
The Supreme Court’s order, which came in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by Rao’s family, exposed what Reddy described as Naidu’s “vendetta politics” targeting political opponents and critical voices in the media. Rao, a senior journalist known for his outspoken criticism of the state government, was arrested earlier this week on charges of threatening a public servant.
Reddy, who himself has faced a slew of corruption cases during Naidu’s tenure, condemned the arrest as a blatant attempt to suppress free speech and intimidate journalists who dare to hold the government accountable. “The Supreme Court’s decision is a clear indication that the Naidu government has overstepped its bounds and is resorting to undemocratic tactics to silence dissent,” Reddy said in a statement.
The YSRCP leader further alleged that the arrest of Rao was part of a larger pattern of harassment and political vendetta carried out by the Naidu administration against its critics and opposition party members. He cited the recent arrest of several YSRCP leaders and the ongoing cases against him as examples of the government’s “vindictive” approach to governance.
The Supreme Court’s intervention in the Rao case has reignited the ongoing tussle between the YSRCP and the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh. With the state gearing up for Assembly elections later this year, the issue is likely to become a key political battleground, with both parties accusing each other of undermining democratic institutions and the rule of law.
