YS Sharmila, sister of YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, accuses TDP of circulating social media posts linking her with actor

Hyderabad: Y S Sharmila, sister of YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Monday filed a police complaint over certain online and social media posts linking her with a popular Tollywood actor, even as she accused the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of spreading such rumours. The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu (YSR) Congress Party is operational in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Condemning Sharmila’s allegations, Andhra Pradesh Women Development Minister Paritala Sunitha said the TDP has nothing to do with the social media posts. “The TDP will condemn such derogatory posts not only against Sharmila but any woman,” Sunitha said in a statement. [caption id=“attachment_368941” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] YS Sharmila (right) with her mother YS Vijayamma. PTI[/caption] In the complaint lodged with Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, Sharmila sought action against those responsible for posting objectionable material against her in social media and for spreading rumours. The YSR congress leader alleged that the TDP was behind spreading the rumours. A case under the IT Act and IPC section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) has been registered against unknown persons, police said. “We have registered an FIR and taken up investigation,” Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crimes) KCS Raghu Vir told PTI. Speaking to reporters, Sharmila rubbished the “false propaganda” unleashed by vested interests by linking her name to that of an actor. The conspiracy was hatched to defame her ahead of the general elections to get political mileage, she alleged. “I swear on my children, I never met him (the actor) nor have I spoken to him…there is not an iota of truth,” she said. “If I do not react, my silence may lead to some unpleasant conclusions, which is the reason why I lodged the complaint seeking action against those who are responsible for such libellous comments using the social media as tool,” she said in the complaint. The motive behind the rumours are meant for her character assassination, she alleged, adding that the posts were an insult to all women. “TDP is known for spreading rumours and this is no different,” she said. “Earlier, TDP spread rumours that my father (then chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh, late YS Rajasekhara Reddy) was a factionist and they also spread rumours against my brother (Jagan) that he is arrogant. They tried to defame my father and brother but they were proved wrong. And now these rumours against me also by TDP just before the 2019 elections,” she said. Asked why she preferred to lodge a complaint with Hyderabad Police and not Andhra Pradesh police and whether she did not trust the AP police, Sharmila said “I don’t have belief.” Refuting the allegations, Paritala Sunitha alleged that the social media wing working under Jagan Mohan Reddy had earlier posted “objectionable” content on TDP women MLAs. “You may have forgotten this. But, people haven’t forgotten such posts,” Sunitha said, adding that the TDP never indulges in mudslinging at women. Earlier in June 2014, Sharmila had lodged a police complaint in Hyderabad seeking action against certain websites for allegedly spreading stories linking her with a popular film actor, following which police had then arrested some people.