What Will YS Jagan Gain From RRR’s Arrest? – Prof K Nageshwar

Andhra Pradesh CID arrested Narsapuram MP K Raghurama Krishna Raju for sedition, weeks after the rebel YSR Congress leader asked a CBI special court to cancel the bail granted to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, in a disproportionate assets case. He was allegedly acting in a way detrimental to the prestige of the state government. He has been charged under Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups), and 505 (conducing public mischief). He has been indulging in hate speeches against certain communities and promoting disaffection against the government, a statement from the police said following his arrest. It was found that through his speeches on regular basis he was indulging in systematic, schematic effort to cause tensions and by attacking various government dignitaries in a way which will cause loss of faith in the government which they represent, the official statement further added.

Though the action on Raju is essentially political given his embarrassing revolt against the party leadership, the grounds on which he was arrested deserve closer scrutiny.

Raghurama Krishna Raju’s arrest following his petition seeking cancellation of YS Jagan’s bail certainly raises curious political questions. The timing of his arrest, therefore, smacks of political vindictiveness. Sedition is a bad law and Raju’s arrest under this archaic law makes him a political martyr. Thus, YS Jaganmohan Reddy’s action would enhance the political role of Raghurama Krishna Raju much to the further embarrassment of the YS Jagan government.

Raghurama Krishna Raju, a wealthy politician can engage a battery of costliest lawyers to get bail, even if YS Jagan’s government opposes it to the hilt. The high court today refused to grant him bail only on the procedural grounds without going into the merits of the charges levelled against the MP. The high court asked Raju’s lawyer to go to the lower court before approaching it. Therefore, the confinement of Raghurama Krishna Raju would only be for few days. Besides, Raju is known for connections with the top BJP leaders making it much more difficult for AP CM to go after him. Therefore, YSR Congress may only get vicarious pleasure than any substantive political benefit from the CID’s action on estranged party MP.

It is rather curious to know that the YSR Congress party has refrained from taking any serious action against the erring MP. He has undermined the party’s prestige and has been spreading disaffection against the party more than the government. The absence of political action and now the sudden legal action, perhaps, reflects the helplessness of the YSR Congress.

This is not to defend Raju’s political moves. His relentless campaign against the party and its leader while remaining in the party is certainly unethical and unjustified. His unending crusade lacks any serious political content. His criticism is more like a political satire that hardly has an impact on public opinion evident from the recent Tirupati by-poll verdict too.

Of course, Raju has been the darling of anti-government media outlets. But, their impact on moulding public opinion is negligible except providing gladiatorial pleasure for those who already intensely hate YS Jagan.

Raju has been repeatedly portraying Jagan as anti- Hindu by referring to Chief Minister’s personal religious beliefs. This will certainly be agonizing for the ruling party. But, the BJP and TDP leaders have been doing the same.

Thus, the YS Jagan government has little to gain from the arrest of Raghurama Krishna Raju. The YSR Congress would have elevated its political prestige by acting firmly on its MP who proved to be a constant source of political embarrassment in the public domain.

By – Prof K Nageshwar

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