From the looks of it there seems to be very little chance of peace being restored in Andhra Pradesh in the near future. Unexpected situations continue to occur. Agitations for a separate Telengana and a united Andhra Pradesh were bad enough, but now the death of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhara Reddy (YSR) in a helicopter crash accident was the last straw. With a Russian newspaper claiming that the death was actually a murder, the state is, once again, in the grip of turmoil. The Exile has made the sensational disclosure that Reddy's death was not an accident, but the result of a well-laid out conspiracy of which the main conspirator was the "Reliance Group" chairman Mukesh Ambani. It may be recalled that when this conspiracy theory was aired by a TV channel the whole state erupted in turmoil against the Reliance Group. Its head office, petrol pumps, showrooms, and mobile towers were damaged extensively. Effigies of Mukesh Ambani were torched in several places.
Welfare of Poor and Minorities
There is no doubt that Reddy was a very successful politician. Not only at the state level, but also at the nation level he was considered a powerful Congress leader. He had earned this position by untiring hard work. This can be gauged from the fact that this was the second time that he ascended to the highest office of the state. His work for the poor is an example of his selfless service. He started several schemes for the welfare of the poor and minorities which are a model of good governance.
During his tenure, whether it was providing rice at two rupees a kilogram for those below the poverty line, or giving basic medical help to the poor for free under the scheme "Arogya Sri." Through his welfare schemes he carved for himself a place in the hearts and minds of the public of Andhra Pradesh. His success was so tremendous that on his sudden death many people in Andhra Pradesh committed suicide.
Orgy of Anger and Sadness
The public's reaction after the expose by the Russian daily appears to be absolutely natural--to explode into an orgy of anger and sadness. But to take the law into one's own hand is not a wise move; to act violently, especially when the state is going through an extremely difficult period.
Although the accident is being investigated by the union government and has not been completed so far, this sensational new exposure has definitely given a new turn to the investigation and could lead to some delays of the release of the report. The Russian report has said that the discovery of oil in Andhra Pradesh led to the plot to eliminate Reddy.
Motives and Rumors
When the accident occurred on 2 September 2009, suspicions were heard then only from certain quarters and it was being said that his death was not an accident but murder. On hearing this, it was the responsibility of the central and state government to speed up the investigation and to present the report as quickly as possible.
However, more than three-and-half months have passed since the incident occurred but investigations are still continuing. This can lead to suspicions regarding motives and cause rumors to spread. It is probably for this very reason that state minorities minister Ahmadullah has recommended to the state and central governments that investigations into the death of Reddy should be speeded up and also all investigations made so far should be made public to remove their suspicions.
Removing Suspicions
Suspicions, by their very nature are not amenable to reason. It is not wise to reach any conclusions on the basis of rumors. Those who are suspicious should exercise caution and await the report from the government.
Suspicions do not solve any problems but, on the contrary, make them more complicated. It is also the responsibility of the government to complete its report as quickly as possible so that the minds of Reddy supporters can rest by removing their suspicions.
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