Undavalli Arun Kumar Criticizes Jagan for Ignoring Advice on Political Vendetta
Undavalli Arun Kumar stated that he had advised Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy not to engage in acts of political vendetta immediately after the latter assumed office as Chief Minister, but his advice was disregarded. “I told Jagan not to take retaliatory steps, but he did not pay attention,” said Undavalli Arun Kumar.
Addressing recent political developments, Undavalli Arun Kumar commented on the imprisonment of a senior police official, stating, “PSR Anjaneyulu, an officer of Director General rank, has been sent to jail. I met him during a prison visit.” He remarked that it was the first time a DG-rank officer had been incarcerated. Emphasizing his long-standing relationships with several IAS and IPS officers, he advised the current coalition government not to harass officials. “If Jagan Mohan Reddy is guilty of wrongdoing, a case should be filed against him directly, but the officers should not be troubled,” he said.
Undavalli Arun Kumar also made significant remarks regarding his petition challenging the constitutional validity of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act in the Supreme Court. He urged the present Andhra Pradesh government, particularly Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, to actively pursue the case. “I consider Pawan Kalyan a ray of hope in this matter,” he added.
He noted that even though eleven years had passed since he filed the petition following the state's bifurcation, the central government had yet to file a counter affidavit. Referring to the contents of his petition, he said, “The state was divided on February 18, 2014, even though the bill did not receive proper approval in Parliament.” Undavalli Arun Kumar said he had amended the petition to challenge the procedural irregularities and the legal basis of the bifurcation, and had approached the Supreme Court once again. He appealed to the Andhra Pradesh government to take the matter seriously, engage a senior advocate, and present strong arguments before the apex court. He revealed that he had already written a letter to Pawan Kalyan regarding this issue.
On a separate note, Undavalli Arun Kumar condemned the recent terrorist attack in Kashmir, stating that the entire global community had denounced the incident. He urged all Indians to support the central government's counter-terrorism efforts. He asserted, “Pakistan does not possess the strength to go to war with India. If a war breaks out, it will be Pakistan that suffers the most.” He also warned against inciting religious hatred, pointing out that while Muslims make up 12 percent of India’s population, Hindus constitute only one percent in Pakistan. He called for collective opposition to Pakistan’s hostile actions.