Bauxite mining in agency areas for CM Jagan's family firm: Chandrababu

Visakhapatnam, Jan 20: Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has claimed that in the name of laterite mining, bauxite is being excavated in the agency areas and this bauxite is being shifted to Bharati Cements, owned by wife of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Addressing a public meeting in the hilly area of Araku in Visakhapatnam district as part of the ongoing 'Raa Kadalira' programme on Saturday, he alleged that the YSRCP mafia has totally razed the north Andhra region to the ground.

Maintaining that the agency area has maximum bauxite reserves, he said he had made it clear long ago that the excavation of these reserves is not possible here.

"But in the guise of laterite excavation, Jagan is now resorting to mining of bauxite and is transporting it to his own company, the Bharati Cements. When the TDP MLAs fought against these excavations illegal cases were registered against them," Chandrababu Naidu said.

He slammed the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for withdrawing the 16 welfare measures implemented during the TDP regime for the progress of the Girijans.

Assuring the Girijans of introducing much better welfare schemes for their development immediately after the TDP-Jana Sena forms its government, Chandrababu Naidu said that the GO number 3 to appoint Girijans as teachers will be reintroduced.

The former chief minister questioned Jagan as to what he has done for the Girijans in these five years except making them suffer without paying even the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for any farm product.

Observing that the coffee crop grown in Araku is totally different from the crop grown in other areas, he recalled that he introduced the Araku coffee even in Davos when he was the chief minister of the state.

"We will take the Araku coffee for the whole world," he said and regretted that the YSRCP government is promoting Araku as a centre for ganja cultivation.

Terming Jagan as a traitor of Girijans, Chandrababu Naidu said that the youth is totally getting demoralised now as this government is completely neglecting the younger generation.

"If you encourage the youth and if the technology is utilised properly anything on the earth can be achieved," he remarked. Jagan, who claims that he is in favour of social justice by simply installing the statue of BR Ambedkar, is not implementing the GO 3 which will help greatly for the Girijans, he stated.

He alleged that Jagan does not want the Girians to get educated and thus he has withdrawn the NTR Vidyonnathi scheme, he said and claimed that during the TDP regime Girijans were encouraged to get coaching for civil services only to see to it that they should become IAS and IPS officers.

The TDP chief also alleged that Jagan has withdrawn the benefit of 20 units free power for the houses of Girijans, and asked whether pension is being paid for those who have crossed the age of 45 years as promised.