Minister for Panchayat Raj Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu on Thursday said he would put a lock to the gate of Government Women’s Junior College at Narsipatnam on Monday in protest against delay in arresting the principal for his alleged misconduct with students.
Replying to a question on his differences with his ministerial colleague Ganta Srinivasa Rao, he told a meet-the-press programme organised by Vizag Journalists Forum that the local police had received a formal complaint from the ‘victims’ several days ago but the accused was being allowed to go scot-free.
“As the local MLA I lodged a complaint with the top officials of Education Department but no action was forthcoming till date,” he said alleging that the principal had been misbehaving with the girls since a long time.
Asked how as Minister he would put a lock to the college gate, Mr. Patrudu shot back: “Don’t I know it is illegal? You should understand that in deference to public opinion and in the larger interest of my constituency, I have to react. In politics, positions are not important.”
He denied that he was having any differences with Mr. Srinivasa Rao. “We may be having differences over certain issues but that does not merit being described in the media that we don’t see eye to eye,” he explained.
Mr. Patrudu justified his opposition to the leasing of valuable granthalaya samstha land near Jagadamba junction and RTC depot land at Narsipatnam for construction of multiplexes. “I have done my duty as custodian of public properties,” he clarified.
VJF president G. Srinubabu presided. VJF secretary S. Durga Rao and vice-president Nagaraju Patnaik spoke.
