‘Save Democracy’: TDP leader detained for in-flight protest against Naidu’s arrest

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Adari Kishore Kumar has been detained for staging a protest against the arrest of party chief Chandrababu Naidu in a Vishakapatnam-bound flight on Tuesday, September 12. Adari Kumar protested to draw the attention of Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer, who was also travelling in the same flight. 

Seeking the Governor’s intervention in the matter, the TDP leader displayed the poster of ‘Save Democracy’ and chanted slogans against the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government of Andhra Pradesh, while protesting against TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest. The agenda was to urge the governor to intervene in the matter and provide justice to Naidu. Following the protest, he was detained. Since Naidu’s arrest on Saturday in the alleged skill-development scam, the party has termed it vendetta. 

The party workers have held demonstrations in different parts of the state and a state-wide bandh was called by the party workers on Tuesday. Responding to the bandh call, the Reddy government, in an unprecedented crackdown, not only rounded up protestors and took them to police stations but party leaders have also been into preventive custody. 

#WATCH | TDP leader Adari Kishore Kumar staged a protest against the arrest of party president N Chandrababu Naidu inside Visakhapatnam airport and an aircraft at the airport today. He was detained by police.

(Video source: TDP) pic.twitter.com/7ZPfZMVSsv

— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2023

Concerned about safety in jail: Naidu’s wife 

Nara Bhuvaneshwari, wife of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has raised concerns about his safety at Rajahmundry jail where the TDP chief has been lodged following the orders of 14-days judicial custody by Vijayawada court. Bhuvaneshwari has alleged that Naidu is being denied basic facilities. 

"I am deeply concerned about Chandrababu's safety at the jail. He is not even being provided with basic facilities. I never imagined that he would be in this situation. He should be provided with better facilities. He is being made to take his showers under cold water," Bhuvaneshwari said on Tuesday. 

Naidu arrested in Skill-Development Scam 

Nara Chandra Babu Naidu has been arrested on the accusation of acting as the 'chief architect and conspirator of the offence’ in the alleged Skill Development Corporation scam case. The alleged scam took place when Naidu was the chief minister of the state, between 2014 to 2019. Naidu is the primary accused in the case involving Rs 279 crore of government funds allegedly transferred to shell companies, claimed the Andhra Pradesh CID.