Hyderabad: In a defiant response to the Congress high command's decision to give Rs one lakh to the families of those who committed suicide in the wake of the death of his father Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Congress MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday said consoling does not mean offering mere financial assistance. "As I said earlier, consoling the families does not mean providing financial assistance. Financial assistance is a part of consoling them. It is essential to meet them, share their grief and provide moral support. That is our tradition too.
I had started my yatra as per that tradition," he said in a statement issued here tonight. Thanking party president Sonia Gandhi for the financial assistance to the victims, he said the move gave a relief to the party cadre and fans of YSR in the state. He, however, said the financial assistance should have been given to all of them who died by committing suicides or died of shock while watching the news of the death of Rajasekhara Reddy as "they all contributed to the party coming to power in the state". Highlighting that some senior leaders have tried to show his yatra in a poor light, Jagan said he felt that the need and honesty of the 'Odarpu yatra' is recognised now with the high command's decision to offer financial assistance to the victims.
"If the party MPs, MLAs and other leaders join me in the yatra, we can do a better service to the victims. That would bring completeness to the endeavour. That would be a fitting tribute to the great leader and it will also bring in enthusiasm to the party rank and file," he said. Ahead of the first death anniversary of Rajasekhara Reddy on September two, the Congress high command yesterday decided to give Rs one lakh to the kin of those who died following his death. The move is seen as an attempt to take the wind out of sails of Jagan who has been defying the party high command over undertaking the 'Odarpu yatra'. PTI
