Chandrababu Is A Symbol Of Political Opportunism  

Kotyada, Vizianagaram district: My Padayatra moved through Lakkavarapu Kota mandal today. In the morning, I walked on the road which led to Araku, a narrow, congested road, full of potholes. The Chief Minister had promised to turn this into a four-lane highway. He had also promised to adopt Araku and transform it into a hub of tourism. Two years down the road, one sees no difference and things have remained the same.

Chandrababu promises a medical hub in one place, a tourism hub in another, and an education hub in yet another place. All these have proved to be empty promises.

Villagers belonging to Jammadevipeta met me and said that Chandrababu and his son Lokesh had visited the village. These visits took place within a span of eight months and both father and son said that they would ensure that a water connection was given to every household. Chandrababu in fact went so far as to announce over one crore rupees worth development work. However, to this day not a single tap has been installed in any household and there is no sign of any development.

“Hud Hud has caused havoc in our lives. Palm trees which are the source of our livelihood were knocked down. Chandrababu Naidu had then promised Rs.10,000 as compensation and a loan of Rs.2 lakhs to each one of us. We were promised 2 wheelers also. All these proved to be empty promises,” said toddy workers, expressing their anguish.

The gap between words and deeds in the case of Chandrababu Naidu is such that it has created extreme discontent among people of this region. He has not fulfilled any one of the promises, they pointed out.

A “ Grama Darshini” meeting was held in the same village, Jammadevipeta on June 04. The chief minister was the chief guest at the function. The Sarpanch from the Dalit community who was affiliated to the TDP was not allowed to do anything except tie flags and was not even permitted to get on to the stage. Is this not arrogance? Was the Sarpanch who should have been presiding over the function not given a seat next to the chief minister only because he was a Dalit?

But then, what more can we expect from Chandrababu Naidu who wondered whether anyone would like to be born in a Dalit family! Incidentally, Chandrababu Naidu who went around the entire village during his “Grama Darshini”, did not step into the Dalit locality. Perhaps, this is what he means by ‘Dalita Tejam’. Parvathakka, her heart overflowing with affection, met me near Lakkavarapu Kota and offered an ORS packet to me. “You should stay healthy and your Padayatra should proceed well.  You should provide livelihood to everyone like your father did,“ she said. She said that you had passed through a very difficult stage earlier. In a family of 12 members, no one had a job and added to that, there were two seriously ill family members. They were in no state to even buy medicines.

At such a critical point, with a single application, she could secure a job as an ANM.” She could get that job without any recommendations for bribes. For this reason, she has great respect and affection for my father and she showered the same love and affection unconditionally on me.

I have a question for the chief minister— at the time of elections you claimed to be one among Dalits. After coming to power, you made statements like —“would anyone want to be born to Dalit parents”! In your ‘Grama Darshini’ meeting, the Dalit Sarpanch was not even allowed to sit on the stage! If this is not opportunistic talk and behaviour, what is?