Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government, under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has initiated a significant crackdown on social media content allegedly targeting political leaders and their families. So far, police have registered 100 cases, arrested 39 individuals, and issued 67 notices for posts deemed inflammatory or likely to incite conflict between groups.
The crackdown comes as several social media posts surfaced targeting the Chief Minister’s family, including his wife Bhuvaneshwari, his son Nara Lokesh’s wife Brahmini, and daughters of Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. State Congress President YS Sharmila has also been targeted. In response to these posts, Chief Minister Naidu urged his party members to maintain composure and dignity in their reactions.
The Opposition, led by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) head Jagan Mohan Reddy, has claimed that its activists are being unfairly targeted. According to Reddy, YSRCP supporters received 650 notices, with 147 cases filed and 49 arrests made in just one week. Reddy criticized the government for allegedly failing to fulfill its “Super Six” poll promises, adding, “Why not file a 420 case against you? If questioned, they say they will file cases and make arrests. Our party leaders and activists, including myself, will continue to post.”
Amidst the intensifying scrutiny, film director Ram Gopal Varma was summoned by the Andhra Pradesh Police for allegedly sharing morphed images of Chief Minister Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. Varma, who has been called to meet with investigators next week, reportedly agreed to cooperate with the inquiry. The complaint, filed by one Ramalingam, accused Varma of posting images that undermined the leaders and their families.
