Telugu Desam Party politburo member and MLA, Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary, on Tuesday came down heavily on the State Government for bringing in a GO which he termed as a new year gift that deprives the people of their democratic rights.

Butchaiah Chowadary told media persons at the party headquarters here that the GO No-1 has been issued on the provisions of the 1861 Police Act implemented by the then Britishers, which are totally outdated.

The GO No-1 is a classic example that Jagan turned as a murderer of the democracy and it once again proved his dictatorial mentality, he said. The Chief Minister did not learn a lesson though the Press Council of India (PCI) has pulled him up when he issued a similar GO No-2430, the TDP politburo member stated.

Asserting that Jagan Reddy is trying to stifle the voice of the Opposition as he is unable to digest the enormous response to the meetings of TDP supremo, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, he felt that by issuing such GOs Jagan is only making efforts to cover up his failures and the growing anti-incumbency.

The MLA asked whether the State government will provide enough security to the meetings of Chandrababu Naidu as per 304(2) and 304(10) of the Standing Orders of the Police Manual. “Till now people are under the impression that Jagan is taking shelter behind the curtains and barricades but now it is understood that he is taking shelter behind the GOs too,” Butchaiah Chowdary remarked.

Making it clear that the TDP will wage a war to decide on the public domain whether the Chief Minister has the right to take away the fundamental rights of the people through such GOs, he asked whether the same norms mentioned in the GO No-1 are applicable to the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues also.

Observing that the days are numbered for Jagan to remain in power, Butchaiah Chowdary demanded that the GO No-1 be withdrawn immediately as he is murdering the democracy with such steps.