Pawan’s remarks on volunteers spark row

Vijayawada The reported statement by Jana Sena Party president and film actor Pawan Kalyan that volunteers appointed by the YSRCP government are involved in trafficking of thousands of young girls has courted a huge controversy in Andhra Pradesh with the eruption of protests across the State on Monday.

Hundreds of volunteers and activists set fire to effigies of the actor-turned-politician and YSRCP leaders staged rastarokos decrying the comments made by him. Bollywood director Ram Gopal Verma also deplored the comments and asked the volunteers to file criminal cases against the actor for making 'unverified and false' allegations.

The actor was trolled by many on social media for his uncharitable comments. There was also a campaign with hashtag apology from Pawan Kalyan to volunteers.

Around 2.55 lakh volunteers hit the streets in protest against the remarks. In another development, AP Women's Commission Chairperson Vadireddy Padma sought an apology from the JSP founder for his remarks. Earlier, she sent a notice to the actor over his three marriage comments in October last year.

YSRCP leaders including Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath, Rajampet MP PV Midhun Reddy, Bapatla MP Nandigam Suresh and former Minister PerniVenkateswara Rao (Nani) hit out at Pawan Kalyan and demanded an unconditional apology from him.

Quoting Central Intelligence sources, Pawan Kalyan during his second phase of Varahi yatra reportedly said that the passing on of data collected by the volunteers has led to disappearance of several young girls.

"What a ridiculous allegation is being made by Pawan Kalyan, who is making provocative statements at the behest of TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu. Can he and his mentor Naidu make a declaration that they will scrap the volunteer system if they come to power," Minister Amarnath asked during an interaction with the media in Visakhapatnam on Monday.

He said revolutionary changes have been brought in governance by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy by launching the volunteer system to improve the livelihood of 1.6 crore families. "Now the aam admi need not run from pillar to post to get their grievances redressed and avail benefits like pension and grants under various schemes through the ward/village sachivalayam," he pointed out.

Accusing him of reading out scripts prepared by the TDP leadership, the Minister wondered why Pawan Kalyan is hesitant to merge his party with the TDP. "Perhaps, he does not want to merge his banner with that of TDP because this will deprive him of financial benefits by Naidu," he alleged.