A woman constable who showed extreme enthusiasm in taking a selfie with YSR Congress party president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy at Guntur jail a few days ago received a charge memo from the department on Friday.
Ayesha Banu, a constable with the jails department, was stationed at Guntur jail along with other officers when Jagan visited to meet his arrested party colleague and former MP Nandigam Suresh, who was imprisoned in connection with the 2021 attack on the TDP office.
While Jagan was speaking to reporters outside the jail, Ayesha, accompanied by her daughter, pushed through the crowd and requested a selfie with him.
She even mentioned that she was a fan and sought his blessings for her daughter. Jagan happily posed for the selfie with Ayesha and her daughter.
The picture was widely highlighted in the media and went viral on social media, circulated by YSRCP leaders to demonstrate that, despite losing power, Jagan remained popular among the masses.
Initially, the Chandrababu Naidu government overlooked the incident, but party supporters on social media did not. They trolled Ayesha and questioned why the department remained silent despite her being a government employee posing for a selfie with Jagan. They tagged state Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha in their posts, demanding action against Ayesha. In response, Anitha ordered an investigation.
On Friday, the jails department issued Ayesha a charge memo, asking for an explanation regarding her enthusiasm in taking a picture with Jagan while on duty.
"Depending on her explanation, the government will form a committee to examine the matter and recommend appropriate action," sources said.
If Ayesha defends her actions and continues to show affinity toward Jagan, the government may suspend her. However, if she apologizes, she may face only mild disciplinary action.
It appears that the Naidu government is cautious about taking any strong action, as it could spark a political controversy, with the YSRCP likely to exploit the situation, sources added.