YSRCP leader booked for derogatory remarks against woman MLA

Amaravati, July 9 (IANS) Police in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district have registered a case against YSRCP MLA Nallapareddy Prasanna Kumar Reddy, who made derogatory comments against sitting Kovuru MLA, Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy.

On a complaint by a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader, police on Wednesday registered a case against Prasanna Kumar Reddy, a former MLA from Kovur constituency.

The FIR has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), 75 (sexual harassment), 79 (Intending to insult the modesty of a woman) and 296 (obscene acts and the utterance of obscene songs or words in public places).

The action came two days after the YSR Congress Party leader made the comments against Prashanthi Reddy, the MLA belonging to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Addressing a YSRCP constituency-level meeting in Padugupadu village on Monday, Prasanna Kumar Reddy had launched a personal attack on MLA Prashanthi Reddy.

The former MLA alleged that Prashanthi Reddy blackmailed and threatened Nellore MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy into marrying her. He remarked that Prabhakar Reddy “fell into the trap of a borewell."

The six-time MLA advised the Nellore MP that his life was under threat because of his wife. "You have thousands of crores worth of assets. People think you are a rich and intelligent man. You be careful. You could be killed inside or outside your house," he said.

Prasanna Kumar Reddy’s remarks sparked outrage. TDP women leaders and workers took to the streets in Kovur demanding that the YSRCP leader be barred from entering the constituency.

Hours after the former MLA’s remarks, his house in Nellore was attacked by some unidentified people. The attackers ransacked the house and allegedly assaulted his elderly mother.

The TDP MLA, however, denied involvement in the attack on the YSRCP leader’s house.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu termed the alleged derogatory comments against Prashanthi Reddy as ‘utterly disgusting’,

He said that strict legal action would be taken against anyone who behaves inappropriately with women.

In a message on ‘X’, he condemned the remarks made by Prasanna Kumar Reddy. “There is no change in the behaviour of YSRCP leaders. Insulting women, using abusive language, and belittling them have become the political ideology of that party,” he said.

--IANS

ms/dan