YSR Congress Party has expressed worry about the safety of women in Andhra Pradesh under the leadership of the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government. Kakani Poojitha, the state working president of YSRCP women’s wing, criticized the government for the deteriorating law-and-order situation. She highlighted a rise in crimes against women, stating that the state now ranks second in such incidents.
Women in Andhra Pradesh are reportedly living in fear due to frequent crimes happening in various areas, indicating a significant breakdown in public safety during the last 18 months of coalition rule. Poojitha mentioned instances of attacks on women police officers and accused the government of using the police force to suppress political opponents rather than safeguarding citizens. She also referenced a recent sexual assault case involving a 13-year-old girl in Mangalagiri to emphasize the grim reality behind the government’s claims.
Comparing the current scenario with the previous YSRCP administration, Poojitha recalled initiatives taken by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to prioritize women’s safety, such as the Disha App, Disha police stations, and rapid emergency response systems. She lamented the disappearance or dysfunctionality of these systems under the current government, leaving women without adequate support. Poojitha further criticized the dismantling of volunteer and secretariat systems, attributing the rise in crimes against women to the lack of a grassroots mechanism for swift responses to distress calls.
Quoting statistics on emergency call response times, Poojitha highlighted a significant delay in Andhra Pradesh compared to other regions, raising concerns about the government’s responsiveness to critical situations. She pointed out that even a warning from the Union Home Minister regarding the state’s law-and-order situation had not prompted effective action from the coalition government. Poojitha called out Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan for their failure to address women’s safety issues effectively, accusing the government of neglecting public safety in favor of other priorities like privatization and liquor-related establishments.
