Several IT professionals in Hyderabad showed their support for former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who was arrested in a corruption case related to the Skill Development Corporation. The techies participated in a protest organized by the Telugu Desam Party at Wipro Circle in Gachibowli, an important IT cluster in the city. They held placards saying “I am with CBN” and demanded the immediate release of Naidu while calling for the preservation of democracy in Andhra Pradesh.
This was the first time that a large number of people gathered to show their solidarity with Naidu, although some IT employees had individually expressed their support since his arrest on Saturday. Many techies from neighboring Andhra Pradesh, who work in various firms in Hyderabad, also joined the protest.
Naidu served as the chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh from 1995 to 2004. He is known for bringing Microsoft and other global giants to set up their operations in Hyderabad, thereby putting the city on the world IT map. The Naidu-led government built the first IT Park Cyber Tower in 1996-97, and its subsequent phases and the development of HITEC City created employment opportunities for local youth. Many IT professionals believe that Naidu’s tech-savvy policies and improved infrastructure played a crucial role in developing Hyderabad as a global IT hub.
The organizers of Wednesday’s protest claimed that Naidu is a victim of vendetta politics orchestrated by the State government, and it is their duty to express solidarity to save democracy in this time of crisis.
