Controversy appears to be continuing over renaming Seethakonda viewpoint as YSR viewpoint at Jodugullapalem here. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been vehemently objecting to the renaming of the tourist point. Several BJP leaders, including former MLC P.V.N. Madhav, who have planned to stage protest against the decision by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), were placed under house arrest on Monday morning.
Taking strong objection to the house arrest, Mr. Madhav said that the incident is a perfect example of highhandedness of the State Government. Alleging that some of the authorities are trying to please the government by taking such decisions, Mr. Madhav also demanded that the government drop the decision to rename the viewpoint.
“ It is atrocious to change the name of the location which was in the name of ‘Seethamma Thalli.’ The YSRCP leaders have done it before with NTR University of Health Sciences. We fear that even the name of the State may be changed in future,” he told the media.
Mr. Madhav said that decision to change the name of the view point was also heavily criticised by the public on social media. The BJP leader said that the YSRCP government should stop assuming that they are doing welfare to the State and its citizens by naming all schemes after Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy or Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. All the schemes provided by the Centre are renamed and are being implemented without mentioning the Prime Minister’s name, he alleged.
Mr. Madhav said that the government must allow citizens and political parties to express their opinions. He said that the agitations taken up by the BJP and other parties over alleged unauthorised constructions at Rushikonda hill, was stopped by the government, which is against the very spirit of democracy.
The GVMC has developed the viewpoint at a cost of around ₹2 crore to showcase it as one of the attractions for the G-20 working group committee meeting held during March this year. It has later renamed the viewpoint as YSR viewpoint. On last Friday, the GVMC council approved the proposal. Former Chief Minister and TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu also expressed his displeasure over renaming Seethakonda viewpoint as YSR viewpoint. He took to social media to express his dissatisfaction a few days ago.
Published - May 01, 2023 06:54 pm IST
