YSR Congress govt harassed, humiliated ex-AP Assembly speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, says TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu

Hyderabad: TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the YSR Congress government had harassed and humiliated former Andhra Pradesh assembly speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, who died in Hyderabad on Monday. In a suspected case of suicide, Rao, slapped with a criminal case for ‘illegal’ possession of legislature property, died shortly after he was allegedly found hanging, police said. [caption id=“attachment_7347781” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Former Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao. ANI[/caption] “This is the first time in Indian history, a senior politician has committed suicide because of government harassment. The present YSRC government headed by Jagan Mohan Reddy has created so many problems for Kodela Siva Prasada Rao,” Naidu alleged while speaking to reporters in Hyderabad on Monday night. The former chief minister alleged that at the same time, “they harassed him (Rao) physically, mentally and also financially”.“Never in my 40-year political career (I have seen) this type of harassment,” Naidu said. The TDP chief flew to Hyderabad late on Monday night to pay homage to the departed leader. Rao’s mortal remains are kept at the NTR Trust Bhavan, the TDP’s office in Hyderabad, for party leaders and workers to pay tributes. The YSR Congress government filed cases against Rao saying he has kept with himself government furniture which he had got in his capacity as assembly speaker, Naidu claimed. Rao had written to the government that the furniture would be surrendered but it did not take the furniture, he said. “They initiated criminal prosecution against him. They insulted him. They humiliated him and finally (filed) so many cases against his family members, against him…,” the Andhra Pradesh former chief minister said. The YSR Congress government must answer on the death of Rao, Naidu said. “Rao has committed suicide because of government harassment and victimisation and humiliation. Now, they (YSR Congress government) has to answer,” he said. ALSO READ: YSRCP accuses TDP of politicising ex-AP Assembly speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao's death, seeks fair probe