Nellore: The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has launched a fierce attack on the TDP-led coalition government, accusing it of misusing the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to target political opponents. The controversy erupted following the registration of an SC/ST atrocity case against YSRCP district president and former minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy.
Addressing a press conference in Nellore on Friday, YSRCP senior leader and MLC Meriga Muralidhar condemned the case, alleging that Sections 3 and 1 of the SC/ST Atrocity Act, 1989, are being invoked without merit to harass opposition leaders. Muralidhar, himself a member of a Scheduled Caste community, expressed grave concern over what he described as the exploitation of a law meant to protect marginalized communities.
“When such laws are misused, it not only damages the reputation of innocent individuals but also insults the SC and ST communities who rely on these provisions for justice and dignity,” Muralidhar said. He added that such actions erode the spirit of the law and delegitimize the genuine grievances of oppressed groups.
Referring to earlier interventions by the judiciary, Muralidhar reminded that the Supreme Court had once introduced safeguards to prevent the misuse of the Act, emphasizing the need for proper preliminary inquiries. “Despite these measures, the current government has turned the law into a tool of political vendetta,” he said.
Muralidhar alleged that the registration of the case against Kakani Govardhan Reddy was a clear act of retribution by the ruling coalition. He further accused the TDP-led alliance of resorting to “Anarchy Rule,” warning that such undemocratic moves would trigger a strong backlash from the public.
The former minister’s arrest has sparked significant political friction in Andhra Pradesh, with the YSRCP rallying behind Reddy and framing the incident as a symptom of a larger trend of political intimidation.
“The people of Andhra Pradesh are watching. The misuse of power will not be tolerated for long,” Muralidhar concluded, hinting at growing unrest among party supporters and the broader public.
