In course of his padayatra, Naidu said that his suggestion of allotting Obulapuram mines to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) was vetoed by former Chief Minister YS Rajsekhar Reddy. Naidu claimed that he stalled the move of NDA government to privatize VSP and called upon the cadre to take these facts to the people.

Naidu’s padayatra will be coming to an end soon and a pylon will be erected to mark the occasion in the district. Efforts are on by the cadre to make the memorial and the public meeting a big event.

Addressing a media conference here, YSR Congress spokesperson Roja questioned Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy why he has been maintaining silence over the increasing number of rape incidents in the state. “Why didn’t you think of calling the assembly session to discuss the issue and devise ways to prevent recurrence of such atrocities on women,” she questioned the CM. “Assembly session should be convened immediately to discuss the issue. I also suggest that Government should discuss the issue with leaders of all parties seriously and take some concrete decisions to protect women,” she said.

Roja squarely blamed the inefficiency of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre and the Kiran Kumar Reddy-led Congress Government in the state for the ever increasing number of rape incidents and atrocities on women. “Due to the Government’s inefficiency and its failure to punish the guilty responsible for such incidents, the criminals are not afraid to perpetrate these crimes,” she said. “Home department is being handled by Sabitha Indra Reddy while Sonia is Congress chief and Shiela Dikshit is Delhi CM. Still, incidence of rape is on the rise.”

Referring to the gruesome incident of 5-year old girl in Delhi and the recent incidents of rape that took place in several towns of the state including the incident of a mentally challenged girl, Roja said the Government in the state has totally failed to protect women. The Governments at the Centre and in the state are not enthusiastic to utilize the services of the police to protect people and solve people’s problems. “Neglecting the people’s problems, the Governments are only concentrating on their political survival.

If they had shown the same enthusiasm in solving the people’s problems, the problems of women and farmers would have already been solved,” she said, adding that police force also should be properly utilized to protect people. She said CM Kiran Kumar is only interested in increasing the volumes of liquor business. “He has no interest in solving the drinking water problems and other issues people are facing,” she said and added: “The Government has issued 35 GOs to have a liquor production of 7.5 lakh crore liters.”

Rosaiah attended a programme of the Arya Vysya Maha Sabha at Poranki, when he suddenly felt ill. He was immediately rushed to the Ramesh hospital here. Doctors said his blood pressure and pulse rate had increased. He is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.

Mining operations at the temple site were suspended 3 years ago. However government gave permission to sell what was mined till then. Following this clearance, the iron ore dug from the site is being transported from Gali’s ‘Black Gold Mines’ since the last few days. It is learnt that when the workers of the mine tried to dig at the temple site by mistake, they found gold. It was hastily covered up and the lorries brought there for transportation of iron ore were sent back without loading, said police sources.

It is learnt that Gali’s company kept finding of gold a secret. Local people complained to the police that Gali’s men have been guarding the place day and night. It is being widely propagated that there was gold underneath the temple. There are also allegations that the temple was demolished for the gold under it. Police are now trying to find facts about the reports.