Chandrababu Naidu slams Andhra police over arrest of party leader Kala Venkata Rao

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 21 (ANI): Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that senior TDP leader Kala Venkata Rao's arrest is indicative of harassment of opposition party leaders in the state on "false cases".

"It is very unfortunate that Kala Venkat Rao was arrested yesterday. I am asking DGP and Police - what is the crime he has committed, can he explain? Before arresting anybody, it is your duty to tell him, more so to respectable citizens," Naidu told ANI.

"The DGP should resign from his position instead of harassing opposition party leaders on false cases. The law and order situation is an utter failure," he added.

Naidu said that the TDP had planned to conduct 'Dharma Parirakshana Yatra' at Tirupati today and had asked for police permission yesterday.

"The police yesterday gave permission but this morning the police cancelled permission and detained local TDP leaders," he said.

He asked why the controversial pastor Praveen Chakravarti's case "is not being properly handled".

Srikakulam district police had arrested Kala Venkata Rao from his home in Rajam on Wednesday following a complaint of YSRCP leader V Vijaya Sai Reddy who accused the TDP leader of attacking his convoy at Ramateertham on January 3. (ANI)