Story:
YSRCP people distributing Masks carrying Party flags – not leaving their propaganda during Coronavirus health crisis also…
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(Telugu)
మీరు ఎక్కడా తగ్గొద్దు,
సంక్షోభం లో కూడా ప్రచారం లో మీ తర్వాతే ఎవరైనా..
Fact Check:
A picture message doing rounds on social media alleges to show YSR Congress Party people distributing Masks Carrying Party flags. They criticize the party men are not leaving their propaganda/campaign amid the Coronavirus global health crisis also. The claims as such are partially hoax and explained here.
YSRCP Candidates Distributing Masks with Party Flags in ‘Election Context’
Considering the deadly Coronavirus global pandemic and nationwide lockdown in India to contain it, many viewers wondered if the images in circulation are real. They are real, but the context of their distribution is slightly different. Local body elections were in fact scheduled in Andhra Pradesh (AP) from 23rd to 27th of March 2020. As Coronavirus cases were increasing in India, PM Narendra Modi declared a ‘Janata Curfew’ on Sunday, the 22nd March 2020. He requested all the citizens to stay at home on the day from 7 am till 9 pm.
What you see in the images is in fact part of pre-election campaign of YSRCP candidates. The MLA from Sarvepalli of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Kakani Govardhan Reddy was distributing the YSRCP masks to people to protect themselves from Coronavirus spread. Opposition party in AP, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) shared the images of the YSRCP masks distribution on Facebook on 22nd March 2020. The party criticized the YSRCP MLA is not abiding by the ‘Janata Curfew’ and giving more importance to votes than public health.
Likewise, Chandragiri YSRCP MLA in the Chittoor district of AP, Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy also distributed over 3 lacs sanitizers to people. The masks and sanitizers in fact carried flags of YSRCP party and images of AP Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy among others.
Sanitizers with images of AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy
Criticism
Apart from the opposition party, many social media users strongly criticized the YSRCP candidates politicizing public health service amid global health crisis. Fans and followers of YSRCP however did not have a problem with it.
On the other hand, after the Janata Curfew on 22nd March, the nation-wide lockdown in India started on 25th March. Due to the COVID-19 health crisis reasons, State Election Commissioner (SEC) of AP, N. Ramesh Kumar postponed the local body elections. In early April 2020, the SEC also issued a directive to the administration to keep the local body election contestants from distribution of aid to the poor during the lockdown period. He in fact passed the order after complaint from opposition parties. They said the ruling YSRCP contestants were making use of government money to earn their personal goodwill among the electorate.
Sacked SEC of AP, N. Ramesh Kumar
Consequently, on 10th April, YSRCP government under CM Jagan Mohan Reddy’s rule passed an ordinance to reduce the tenure of SEC and remove him from the post.
Hoax or Fact:
Partially Hoax.
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