Chandrababu Government Has No Respect For Women  

Paradi, Vizianagaram district: My Padayatra today moved through Bobbili town and mandal. Nowhere did I see any sign of development. In fact, what I saw on the contrary, was widespread suffering.

Once again, I heard the sorrowful experiences which jute mill employees had been subjected to, from the time that Chandrababu came to power. Bhavani met me along with her mother who suffered a paralytic stroke. She lamented that after the jute mill had closed down, her husband was forced to become a daily wage labourer. Survival became a challenge for them, she said. She was finding it difficult to support her family and also get her sick mother treated. Her daughter scored 10 points out of 10 in her tenth standard, but she did not have the means to educate her children and send them to college, she sobbed. Farmers, who had given their land for Bobbili Growth Centre met me today. They were deeply saddened that they believed in the promises of leaders who said that each household would be given a job. They thought it would be helpful to get their children educated in professional colleges, but they were all a disappointed lot, they said. While they had sacrificed their land, and were forced to put up with the pollution created by newly set up industries, the few jobs which were generated were being given to non-locals, they complained.

Women from Polavanivalasa Tribal Colony met me today and poured out their woes to me. Their colony had no roads, power, water supply or drainage system, they complained. The situation of residents of Gunnathotavalasa SC Colony is no different. Though they are right next to Bobbili town, the problems which our colonies face, go unnoticed, they said.

Villagers from Kondakenguva met me and told me about the problems they had been facing on account of the highway near the village. They said that the condition of the road was so pathetic that even a 108 ambulance could not travel on it. There are instances of pregnant women delivering their babies in auto rickshaws, they complained.

At least 20 villages were severely impacted on account of the bad condition of this main road. All this was because of the neglect by the government, they said and were furious with ruling party leaders who said they would get the road repaired over and over again. One can imagine the state of the road if one looks at the fact that even the minister was not allowed into the village. The case of Appalrajupeta is no different when it comes to the state of the road.

Girl students of Paradi government high school met me and told me that in a school which had 350 girl students, there was no toilet. I was shocked to learn of this. How can the authorities failed to provide toilet facilities in a school with 350 girl students! The fact troubled me greatly. The girls told me that they were overcome with shame at this. The government’s disrespect for women and its insensitivity to their needs is unforgivable.

All through the day, in all villages that I went by, the story was the same. Complete government neglect, no roads, no water supply, no sanitation or drainage facilities, and a complete absence of basic amenities. Leaders who got elected thanks to these local voters, defected to the ruling party and have become ministers. They claimed they had crossed over for “development”! Now they look the other way when it comes to the needs of these villages.

As for the government, it is indifferent to the needs of these villages. The TDP leadership is content with having bought over these defectors with ill-gotten money and is unconcerned about the development of the region. At the end of the day’s Padayatra, I met members of the committee of our party who had been appointed to help the victims of Titli cyclone. They narrated to me at length the relief efforts they had undertaken and government failure in helping the victims of the cyclone which ravaged these parts. The devastation it wrought was beyond description. I was satisfied with the efforts of my party leaders and workers who were serving the people of the cyclone-affected region with dedication and a sense of deep empathy and humanity. I advised them to stand by the cyclone victims in this hour of need with the same spirit of devotion and commitment.

I have a question for the chief minister—you had promised a tar road for every village and a cement road for every street in your election manifesto. What happened to this promise? Similarly, on page 35 of your party‘s election manifesto, you had promised to build compound walls, ensure water supply and construct toilets for all schools in the state in two years. Whatever happened to that promise? Do you have any recollection of it?