Amaravati, Nov 5: Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha on Tuesday said she viewed Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's remarks on her handling of the state's law and order situation in a constructive way.
Anitha’s response followed Kalyan’s criticism the previous day over deteriorating law and order conditions and increased violence against women, particularly five months into the tenure of the new coalition government comprising the TDP, BJP, and Janasena.
"I took his (Kalyan’s) comments positively. His press meet was, in fact, encouraging. He provided a supportive foundation for my work and urged me to be even more assertive. That's what he communicated,” Anitha told reporters.
Anitha added that, as the Home Minister, she recognises her responsibilities and the demands of her role.
She also emphasised that Kalyan did not label her a failure.
The Home Minister noted that she had spoken to Kalyan about the matter, and he clarified that he was referring to the alleged registration of cases based on caste under the previous YSRCP government.
Further, she underscored that Andhra Pradesh is strict about maintaining law and order.
“The Chief Minister is serious that anyone contemplating a crime should fear. He (CM) said we will bring special laws to deter criminal behaviour. This message came directly from the CM,” she said.
Defending Kalyan as the Deputy Chief Minister, Anitha claimed that some people were "unnecessarily politicising" the issue.
On Monday, the Deputy CM expressed concerns about the state’s law and order situation, suggesting that “things would be different” if he were the Home Minister—remarks seen as direct criticism of Vangalapudi Anitha.
His comments came after recent incidents, including the rape and murder of a four-year-old girl by a relative in Tirupati district.
Meanwhile, YSRCP leader B Rajendranath sought to know who Kalyan was questioning.
"Whom are you (Kalyan) questioning? You are in power. You are the Deputy Chief Minister. Are you questioning yourself, your government, a particular minister, the CM, or the police department? We do not understand," Rajendranath said during a press conference in Hyderabad.
Rajendranath noted that while Anitha holds the Home Department portfolio, law and order is overseen by the CM. He questioned Kalyan's criticism of the police department’s functioning, reasoning that the government cannot operate without the system in place.
He advised Kalyan to address crime effectively, while former Tourism Minister and YSRCP leader RK Roja suggested that Kalyan’s comments reflected "failure" on the part of both the Deputy Chief Minister and Chief Minister.
Further, she alleged that the Home Minister has become "useless".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Bengaluru, Dec 9: A 34-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh died by hanging himself from the ceiling at his residence on Monday, police said.
Atul Subhash, who worked in a private firm in Bengaluru, left behind a 24-page death note alleging harassment by his wife and her relatives, they added.
The incident occurred in the Manjunath Layout area, which falls under the Marathahalli police station limits, police said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Subhash had been facing marital discord with his wife, and she had registered a case against him in Uttar Pradesh, a senior police officer said.
He also sent his death note via email to several people and shared it with a WhatsApp group of an NGO he was associated with, the officer said.
According to the police, Subhash hung a placard in his house that read "Justice is due".
Before taking the extreme step, he allegedly pasted important details on a cupboard, including information about his death note, vehicle keys, and a list of tasks he had completed and those still pending, the officer said.
"A case will be registered in connection with the death once his family files a complaint. A detailed investigation is underway," he added.