By C. Subramanyam
In a bizarre twist to the ongoing skill development scam case, former Chief Minister and TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu has reportedly demanded an AC in his jail cell, claiming that the fan provided by the authorities was not working properly. Naidu, who is currently lodged at the Rajahmundry Central Jail under judicial remand, allegedly said that he was entitled to an AC as the symbol of the ruling YSRCP was a fan.
This was revealed by YSRCP MP Vijayasai Reddy, who took a dig at Naidu in a sarcastic tweet on Thursday. Vijayasai Reddy wrote, “As long as the YSRCP symbol is a fan, there is no rule that fans should not be used in jail. In Rajahmundry Central Jail, they removed the fan and insisted that I want AC, but the jail rules do not allow it. How can the fan not turn without switching?”
Naidu was arrested by the CID on September 9 in connection with an alleged fraud of Rs 371 crore in the Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC). The CID has accused Naidu of orchestrating the transfer of public funds to private entities via shell companies, resulting in a loss to the state exchequer and gains to himself and his party. Naidu has denied the charges and claimed that he was being victimized by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for political reasons.
Naidu’s demand for an AC has sparked outrage among the YSRCP leaders and supporters, who have accused him of being arrogant and insensitive to the plight of the common people. They have also questioned how Naidu could afford an AC when he had declared himself as a farmer with no income in his election affidavit. On the other hand, some TDP leaders have defended Naidu’s demand, saying that he was suffering from health issues and needed an AC to cope with the heat and humidity in the jail.
The jail authorities have not commented on the matter, but sources said that they were unlikely to entertain Naidu’s demand as it would violate the jail manual and set a bad precedent for other inmates. They said that Naidu was being treated as per the norms and was provided with basic amenities like a cot, a mattress, a pillow, a blanket, a fan, a mosquito net, and a water bottle. They also said that Naidu was allowed to meet his family members and lawyers as per the rules.
