YS Jagan Padayatra: Jottings From Diary...

K. Jayadev

From the Southernmost tip bordering Tamil Nadu to the Eastern hills in Srikakulam, each step of AP Leader of opposition, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Praja Sankalpa Yatra marks a step in the direction of change. Weaving its way through nine plus districts of the states so far the walkathon has also woven its way into people’s hearts across regions. Analysts and commoners alike are astounded by the reserves of patience not to speak of the steely determination which characterizes the mass leader’s interaction with the people as he reaches out to them striking a personal note of empathy. One finds an instinctive, overriding impulse to connect with the masses and understand their day-to-day lives under the present dispensation.

YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is a man on a mission. A mission to clean up the Augean stables of Chandrababu’s corruption and misrule which the state is mired in. Starting with Idupulapaya last year, YS Jagan’s Praja Sankalpa Yatra is now in East Godavari district. His unflagging energy and his close personal interaction with people stand out among other things.

Here’s a look at some of the issues that YS Jagan came across during his padayatra, which he jotted down and have been sourced from his Praja Sankalpa Yatra diary:

Chandrababu's U-turns on SCS

"The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu has been trying to depict Andhra Pradesh as a state with growing per capita income and GSDP, contrary to facts. At stakeholders’ conventions and meets, he has been making tall claims such as AP getting investments of one lakh crores. One does not know who the chief minister is trying to deceive? This makes the Centre and people elsewhere feel that Special Category Status is not really required for Andhra Pradesh? Are you not betraying the people of the state when you make such false claims which run contrary to reality on the ground, at a time when people are agitating for Special Category Status?

At the time of elections, he described SCS as a Sanjeevini or magic cure. Once he came to power he started singing a different tune. Naidu asked whether SCS was a Sanjeevini, doing a complete U- turn on the subject. Pointing to a package, where none was given, Chandrababu claimed that it was better than SCS.

When the YSRCP had been fighting for SCS to AP, what did Chandrababu Naidu do? He tried every trick in the book to check the people’s movement. He used police force against those who took to the streets on the issue. He ridiculed YSRCP leaders who demanded Special Category Status. In spite of all his machinations, YSRCP remained consistent in its thoughts, speech and actions."

Farmers Betrayed

"For years now, Siva Suryanarayana had been dependent on agriculture. Unfortunately for him, for the past four years he had been put to grave losses, also because nature had been unkind to him. The worst aspect of it all was the insensitivity shown by the TDP government. Torn between an apathetic government and cruel nature, this poor farmer took his own life. He had taken a piece of land on lease. For the past four years he had been suffering losses in agriculture and to support himself and his family through an alternative source of income, he took to sheep-rearing. To his misfortune, the sheep fell prey to a disease and he suffered huge losses. He had borrowed Rs.2 lakhs for this. He had expected the government to fulfill its promise of assistance, but no support was forthcoming from the TDP government. Last year he cultivated chilly on 15 acres and suffered losses because the government did not come to the assistance of farmers through a support price. This year he cultivated cotton on 10 acres, but as fate decreed, a pink colour pest ruined the crop completely. The interest amount on his bank loan of Rs.2 lakhs kept mounting. The loans he took from private moneylenders added to his misery. With no government support or assistance, overcome by depression, he took his life consuming pesticide in his field, the place dearest to his heart. No farmer should suffer such fate.

More than any pest which plagues the crops of these poor farmers, corruption of the TDP government is the biggest pest which is eating into the vitals of society and ruining the lives of the farmers."

Where Are The Promised Loan Waivers?

"In 2011, Srihari Rao of NN Kandrika borrowed Rs.88,000 pledging his gold and in 2013 mortgaging some more gold, he borrowed Rs.88,000 again. Not a paisa of his loan has been waived so far. He had filed appeals with government authorities at all levels, to no avail. Finally, he also submitted a petition in the CM’s Camp Office. He thought that at least his submission in the CMO would elicit some response, but nothing came of it. In the end, deceived by Chandrababu Naidu’s false promise of loan waiver he gave up agriculture altogether. This is the case of a farmer who submitted a petition on the denial of loan waiver in his case to the Chief Minister! Where else can he go to seek relief?

Hundreds of thousands of farmers in Andhra Pradesh say that they have sunk into an inextricable debt trap. Farmers everywhere say they are unable to approach any bank for assistance."

TDP’s Failure To Provide Employment

"Bhavannarayana of Mulukuduru had a poignant tale to narrate. This unemployed young toddy worker had completed his degree, but was forced to take up the traditional occupation of his forefathers. He took part in softball competitions at the national level. He had to become a toddy worker after all his efforts to find gainful employment failed. He did not get any unemployment allowance either. He complained that not only was he jobless, but that he was not given a toddy license. Mahesh and Brahmam were cheated by the job promises made by top TDP leaders. One had completed his B. Tech and attended a job Mela which was held by the Telugu Desam at Chilakaluripeta. He was told that he had secured a job with Tech Mahindra after he cleared his interview successfully. He was given a call letter, but when he went to Hyderabad he was told by the company authorities that it was a fake one."

Liquor Menace

"Vijayamma, Shyamala and Navaneetham of Chandurupalli came to meet me. They told me how liquor was ruining their lives." “Anna, we are poor Dalits and all day in the scorching heat, we work as labourers. Men have taken to drinking thanks to belt shops everywhere. Whatever little we earn is snatched away by them. They go to belt shops which have mushroomed across villages. They come home drunk and create a big scene day after day. Our children cannot study because of the environment they find themselves in. These men do not even spare a thought for the children. Please do something to ensure that these belt shops are closed.” "Liquor is destroying the social fabric of villages. How can the government turn it into a major source of revenue in such circumstances? Can’t this government see the suffering of these poor women and their families?

Women wailed about how their lives were being ruined, but all this seems to have no effect on the rulers of the day. How insensitive can they be? Is it so important to get revenue out of liquor and allow liquor shops to proliferate even if alcoholism destroys the social fabric, tearing it to shreds?"

Amaravati - Building Castles in Air

"The village of Pedakoorapadu is very close to the new capital. As soon as I entered the constituency, the gram Sarpanch of Chinamekkana, Tenali Govindamma, met me. 'Anna, Amaravathi is barely 20 km away from our village. We do not have basic facilities such as a good road. Our chief minister says that he would transform this entire region into Singapore and Japan. However, the ground reality here is very different. Over the past four years, the TDP government has remained completely indifferent to our plight. There is no road over this stretch of 2 km. A shower makes our lives miserable in such conditions.' "She then went on to list out countless problems which the local villagers face under the TDP regime."

"Chandrababu Naidu said that he would turn Andhra Pradesh into a Japan or Singapore and took people of the entire state for a ride. Instead, this TDP government indulged only in loot and plunder. Amravati is a glowing symbol of all-round corruption today. He has not done anything in these four years apart from looting resources worth Rs.2000 crores, the people told me."

Rising Crimes Against Women

"A disturbing truth was revealed by the ADR report according to which, Andhra Pradesh ranked third in the list of states with highest crimes against women. What is worse is that underlying this dubious distinction is the involvement of Ministers and MLAs from the Telugu Desam party in such crimes against hapless women.

The involvement of legislators from the ruling party in call money cases, the unstinted support they get from the official machinery flowing from the top, the Rishiteshwari and Vanajakshi episodes and among the most appalling of them all—the disrobing of a poor Dalit woman!... The most disturbing aspect which underscores all these cases is the unwavering support given by the government to those perpetrating such heinous acts. One wonders where Andhra Pradesh is headed! If the chief minister had acted upon his partymen who have abused and misbehaved with women, he could have gained some credibility."

Healthcare Budget Slashed

"While my Padayatra was near Uppalapadu, families of diarrhoea victims, who had come from Guntur met me. They were accompanied by their relatives." 'Our family members lost their lives on account of government neglect. These were innocent lives lost for no fault of theirs.' I was shaken to the core after this interaction. For people to die of diarrhoea because of drinking contaminated water is unpardonable. This itself is an example of The TDP government’s incompetence. It shows the neglect healthcare has suffered at the hands of this government and is a reflection of how little it cares for the lives of the people.

104 and 108 schemes are now a picture of government apathy. The pioneering healthcare initiative, Arogyasri, has been watered down completely. The chief minister had promised to expand the Arogyasri scheme and strengthen it. Apart from changing the name of the healthcare scheme, have you achieved anything? Are you not responsible for diluting it completely? Is it not true that the lives of the poor have no value under your regime?"

In this vein, the YSRCP Chief interacts closely with people, noting down his observations and recollections in the Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary. These excerpts shed light on his concern for the suffering masses and his resolve to bring about a radical change in the system under Rajanna Rajyam.