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Jagan defies Congress, to go ahead with ‘yatra’

June 6, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, June 6 (IANS) Continuing to defy the Congress party leaders, former chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Sunday said he would go ahead with his ‘Odarpur yatra’.

‘Who told you that yatra would not continue?’ he shot back when reporters in Anantapur sought to know if he has called off his yatra.

The Kadapa MP was asked to comment on reports that he decided to call off his controversial tour in different parts of Andhra Pradesh following a directive from the central leadership.

By repeatedly asking the same question to reporters, Jagan has virtually made it clear that he would go ahead with his yatra in Srikakulam district from June 8.

The yatra is aimed at consoling the family members of those who either committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his father, popularly known as YSR, in a helicopter crash last year.

Jagan’s attempt to defy the high command and take out the yatra in Warangal district of Telangana region on May 28 had triggered violence. The young MP was arrested on his way to Mahabubabad town in the district but firing by gunmen of his two loyal legislators in the town injured nine pro-Telangana activists, who were opposing his tour.

After the incidents, Jagan visited New Delhi and met some Congress leaders to convince them that there is no politics in his yatra. After a meeting with general secretary incharge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, M. Veerappa Moily, he had claimed that the leadership permitted him to continue the tour.

However, Moily later denied this and advised Jagan not to defy the high command. Jagan’s loyalists among the state ministers have also advised him not to go against the party’s directive. Last week, several legislators loyal to his father called on him and urged him not to take any hasty step.

Unhappy with Jagan’s attitude, the Congress leadership is not willing to allow him to undertake the yatra even in non-Telangana areas. Srikakulam is a part of north coastal Andhra and his yatra is not facing any opposition there.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: central leadership, Chief Minister, committed suicide, congress leaders, Congress Leadership, congress party, Controversial Tour, general secretary, gunmen, helicopter crash, Hyderabad, incharge, Jagan, Kadapa, legislators, loyalists, Party Affairs, party leaders, state ministers, Ysr

Defensive Jagan in Delhi to meet Sonia

May 31, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Under fire for violating the party leadership’s directive and going ahead with a rally in Andhra Pradesh’s volatile Telangana region, Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy is here hoping to meet party president Sonia Gandhi.

The Kadapa MP, whose rally last week led to violence in the Telangana region, defended himself, saying he organised it was for his father, the late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who died in a helicopter crash last year.

‘Whatever I’m doing is for my father. I’m sure the Congress president will understand my point,’ the MP, known as Jagan, told reporters here.

Jagan, who reached the capital Sunday to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, has sought an appointment with Gandhi and other senior party leaders, said party sources.

The central leadership of the party had asked him not to conduct the rally in Telangana in view of the tension prevailing there over the separate statehood issue.

Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Friday asked Jagan to call off his rally.

Defying the directive, Jagan embarked on the rally May 28, triggering violence between his supporters and opponents as he was taken into preventive custody while on his way to Mahbubabad in Warangal district.

Jagan reiterated that the rally was to console family members of those who committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his father, then chief minister, in a helicopter crash last year.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Andhra Pradesh, central leadership, Chief Minister, congress leader, congress president, Finance Minister, helicopter crash, Jagan, Kadapa, New Delhi, parliamentary standing committee, party leaders, party leadership, party President, party sources, Pranab Mukherjee, rally, Sonia Gandhi, statehood, Warangal District

Jagan defensive, says rally was for father

May 31, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy Monday defended his controversial rally that triggered violence in Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh and said it was for his father, the late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who died in a helicopter crash last year.

‘Whatever I’m doing is for my father. I’m sure the Congress president will understand my point,’ the Kadapa MP, known as Jagan, told reporters here.

The son of the former Andhra Pradesh chief minister, who reached the national capital Sunday to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, has sought an appointment with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other senior party leaders, said party sources.

The central leadership of the party had asked him not to conduct the rally in Telangana in view of the tension prevailing there over the separate statehood issue.

Senior Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had Saturday asked Jagan to call off his rally.

Jagan reiterated that the rally was to console family members of those who committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his father, then chief minister, in a helicopter crash last year.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: central leadership, Chief Minister, congress leader, congress president sonia gandhi, family members, Finance Minister, helicopter crash, Jagan, Kadapa, mp, New Delhi, opponents, parliamentary standing committee, party leaders, party sources, Pranab Mukherjee, rally, statehood, Violence, Warangal District

Telugu New Year ‘Ugadi’ celebrated with gaiety

March 17, 2010 By vani Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, March 16 (IANS) People offered special prayers, decorated their houses and shops with mango leaves and tasted a bit of the traditional sweet-sour ‘Ugadi pacchadi’ as Ugadi, the Telugu New Year, was celebrated across Andhra Pradesh Tuesday.

Thousands of devotees thronged temples to pray for happiness and prosperity in the New Year. Special prayers were held at the Tirumala, Srisailam and Vijayawada temples.

People customarily taste a bit of the ‘Ugadi pacchadi’, a mixture of neem buds, raw mango, tamarind juice, pepper, jaggery and salt. The mixture symbolises that life is a mixture of bitter-sweet experiences which should be accepted together and with equanimity.

People also attended special functions where the priests read out the ‘panchangnam’ or religious almanac of the coming year. Literary discussions, poetry recitations, recognition of authors through awards and cultural programmes also marked the day.

Like every year, the state government organised an official function ‘panchangna sarvanam’, at Ravindra Bharati in the state capital, where an ‘agma’ pundit read out the religious almanac of the coming year. He forecast that the coming year would bring prosperity for the state and its people.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah and some of his cabinet colleagues attended the main celebrations and tasted the sweet-sour ‘Ugadi pacchadi’.

Rosaiah said he was praying for the well-being and prosperity of the people of the state.

‘I hope that the coming year would bring happiness to the state in all sectors. There will be sufficient rains and bumper crop and industrial sector will perform better than last year,’ he said.

The chief minister said his government was trying to plug the loopholes in the development and welfare of the state and its people.

Many people noted that the last year was one of the worst years as the state lost chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash in September, followed by unprecedented floods in Krishna river and agitation over the demand for separate statehood to the Telangana region.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu attended a ‘panchangna sarvanam’ held at NTR Trust Bhavan, the party headquarters. Similar functions were also held at the office of the ruling Congress party and offices of the Bharatiya Janata Party (PRP) and Praja Rajyam Party (PRP).

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: Agma, bharati, bumper crop, cabinet colleagues, Chief Minister, devotees, equanimity, gaiety, helicopter crash, industrial sector, Jaggery, Literary Discussions, loopholes, Mango Leaves, Special Functions, Srisailam, Telugu New Year, Ugadi, Ugadi Pacchadi, vijayawada

CBI to visit YSR’s helicopter crash site today

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Sep 12 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will visit on Saturday the site of the helicopter crash, where former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and four others were killed, in order to probe the crash at Pavirallagutta in the dense Nallamalla forests.

The CBI multi-disciplinary investigation team (MDIT) would be headed by Deputy Inspector General V V Lakshmi Narayana and comprise officers from the Indian Air Force and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation also.

The CBI would also inquire whether any sabotage was behind the crash and what forced the helicopter to deviate from its set path, besides the response from the Air Traffic Control(ATC) in Chennai.

The CBI probe has been ordered under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Such a probe is conducted by a police officer specially empowered by the State Government when the deceased has been killed by another or by an animal or by machinery or by an accident.

A two-member expert committee is already investigating the incident. It has been told to submit its report in two months. (ANI)

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CBI to probe YSR’s death

September 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi/Hyderabad, Sep.10 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has formed a special team to probe the death of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash on September 2.

CBI Superintendent of Police (Vizag) G Nageshwar Rao will head the team that will probe the mysterious circumstances under which the helicopter crashed in the dense forests of the Nallamala forest range in Kurnool district killing all five occupants.

The CBI probe has been ordered under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

Such a probe is conducted by a police officer specially empowered by the State Government when the deceased has been killed by another or by an animal or by machinery or by an accident.

A two-member expert committee is already investigating the incident. It has been told to submit its report in two months.

Interim Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah had requested Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to order a CBI probe, which was accepted. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: andhra pradesh chief, cbi probe, central bureau of investigation, Chief Minister, deceased, dense forests, expert committee, forest range, helicopter crash, Hyderabad, mysterious circumstances, New Delhi, occupants, P. Chidambaram, police officer, rao, state government, superintendent, Union Home Minister, Vizag

DGCA team visits chopper crash site near Kurnool

September 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kurnool, Sep 10(ANI): A Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) investigating team is visiring the site of the helicopter crash that claimed the life of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy on September 2.

A court of inquiry appointed by the DGCA is investigating to clarify all details. The team was scheduled to visit site again on Thursday, said Captain Mushar Ahmed of the Aviation Academy.

The members of the inquiry committee are examining and decoding the flight voice recorder to ascertain what brought the ill-fated Bell-430 helicopter down in the Pavurala Gutta range of Nallamallah forest area, around 40 nautical miles off Kurnool.

The DGCA team has been asked to submit the report within two months. (ANI)

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: ahmed, andhra pradesh chief, aviation academy, Bell 430 Helicopter, Chief Minister, chopper, Civil Aviation, crash site, dgca, forest area, helicopter crash, Inquiry Committee, nautical miles, voice recorder

Ex-Andhra CM YSR buried with full state honours in native village

September 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Pulivendula (Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh), Sep.4 (ANI): Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhara Reddy, who tragically died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday morning, was on Friday buried with full state honours in his native village of Pulivendula in Kadapa District.

As the tricolour draped coffin carrying his body was taken to the burial site, the grief stricken crowd, which had gathered in tens of thousands, showered rose petals and other flowers on it. The outpouring of grief was palpable for all to see. YSR’s son, Jaganmohan Reddy and his other relatives went around the burial venue in an open truck with folded hands to thank the people for their presence and support at this tragic time in their lives.

Security persons had a hard time keeping the thronging crowd at bay to allow family members to perform the last rites. Close to 1500 security personnel were deployed at the venue to keep things under control.

As his coffin was placed inside the grave on the family estate by the side of the graves of his parents, as he had wished, YSR’s well-wishers showered mud, rice puffs, salt, flowers and wreathes on it. Some knelt on their knees and prayed for the departed soul. Tearful family members, including his grandchildren, gathered closely together to bid farewell.

Earlier, the tricolour-draped coffin was brought to YSR’s hometown by an Indian Air Force helicopter from Hyderabad.

After lying in state at the Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium in Hyderabad for a couple of hours, the coffin was taken to Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport and transferred to the family estate in Pulivendula for final rites.

Leaders and politicians from different parties, including former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, BJP president Rajnath Singh and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani were among those who paid floral tribute to the departed leader.

There was a sea of humanity in the city, in the stadium and at the final resting place, some of them quite distraught and emotional at seeing the cortege carrying the body of their son of the soil.

In the morning, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi paid homage to the late chief minister at his official residence in Hyderabad.

Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash along with four others on Wednesday morning, also received floral tribute from other Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister A K Antony and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit at the Chief Minister’s Camp office in Hyderabad’s Begumpet area.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared seven days of state mourning in honour of YSR and cancelled all the official programs in the state.

Reddy’s Bell 430 chopper went missing on Wednesday morning at about 9.35 and could only be located almost 24 hours later on Thursday morning following a night long search operation by different units of security personnel including Army’s Commandos, Air Force’s Sukhoi-30, and 5,000 CRPF personnel.

The wreckage was discovered atop a hill about 40 nautical miles from Kurnoool town.

Along with YSR, four others-Dr P Subramanium, the Special Secretary to the Chief Minister; ASC Wesley, Chief Security Officer and two pilots Group Captain SK Bhatia and Captain MS Reddy-died in the crash. (ANI)

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Chopper carrying YSR’s body arrives in Kadapa

September 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, Sep.4 (ANI): The flag-draped and flower-bedecked coffin of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhara Reddy arrived in his native village Pulivendula in Kadapa District by an Indian Air Force helicopter on Friday afternoon.

The flight took off from Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport after being brought from the Lal Bahudur Shastri Stadium where it had lain in state for about three hours for the general public and leaders to pay their last respects.

The body of the late chief minister, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, will be given final rites with full state honours.

Earlier, the flower-bedecked gun carriage carrying the coffin was brought to the stadium for a lying in state.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani were among the leaders who paid floral tribute to the departed leader.

There was a sea of humanity inside the stadium, and some of them were quite distraught and emotional at seeing the cortege carrying the body of their son of the soil.

The body of the late chief minister will be taken to his village in Kadapa District around 2 p.m.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi paid homage to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhar Reddy at his official residence this morning.

The leaders also wrote condolence messages in a book at the camp office.hereafter, the funeral cortege moved out of the premises and moved along a designated route towards the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, where it will lie in state for about three hours to allow the general public and politicians to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

The Andhra Pradesh capital was a sea of grieving humanity as people from all walks of life gathered in tens of thousands on major thoroughfares to give a fitting farewell to their son of the soil, YSR.

The flower bedecked army truck and funeral convoy, led by his emotionally distressed son Jaganmohan Reddy, wound its way slowly through the streets of the city towards the stadium. Jagan Reddy greeted the emotionally charged masses lining the route with folded hands.

Reddy’s burial will be held at around 5 p. m. in his native village in Kadapa District.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared five days of state mourning in honour of YSR and cancelled all the official programs in the state.

The wreckage was discovered atop a hill about 40 nautical miles from Kurnoool town.

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Chopper carrying YSR’s body leaves for Kadapa

September 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, Sep.4 (ANI): The flag-draped and flower-bedecked coffin of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhara Reddy left for his native village Pulivendula in Kadapa District in an Indian Air Force helicopter on Friday afternoon.

The funeral convoy arrived at Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport from the Lal Bahudur Shastri Stadium where it had laid in state for about three hours for the general public and leaders to pay their last respects.

The body of the late chief minister, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, will be given final rites with full state honours.

Earlier, the flower-bedecked gun carriage carrying the coffin was brought to the stadium for a lying in state.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani were among the leaders who paid floral tribute to the departed leader.

There was a sea of humanity inside the stadium, and some of them were quite distraught and emotional at seeing the cortege carrying the body of their son of the soil.

The body of the late chief minister will be taken to his village in Kadapa District around 2 p.m.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi paid homage to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhar Reddy at his official residence this morning.

The leaders also wrote condolence messages in a book at the camp office.

Thereafter, the funeral cortege moved out of the premises and moved along a designated route towards the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, where it will lie in state for about three hours to allow the general public and politicians to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

Reddy’s burial will be held at around 5 p. m. in his native village in Kadapa District.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared five days of state mourning in honour of YSR and cancelled all the official programs in the state.

The wreckage was discovered atop a hill about 40 nautical miles from Kurnoool town.

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: air force helicopter, andhra pradesh chief, Begumpet Airport, congress leaders, congress party president, deve gowda, Dr. Manmohan Singh, floral tribute, former prime minister, Funeral Cortege, helicopter crash, Indian Air Force, l k advani, lal bahadur shastri, last respects, Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi, sheila dixit, son of the soil, Sonia Gandhi

YSR’s body leaves Hyderabad’s Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium

September 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, Sep.4 (ANI): The flag-draped and flower-bedecked coffin of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhara Reddy left the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium on Friday afternoon, hours after it was placed there for the general public and leaders to pay their last respects.

The funeral convoy is headed to Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport from where the coffin carrying the body of the late chief minister, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, will be flown to his native village in Kadapa District for final rites with full state honours.