Police detain Sharmila in Cong office to foil 'Chalo Secretariat' call against YSRCP Govt on job issue

Vijayawada, Feb 22 (IANS) Tension prevailed at the Congress party’s office here on Thursday as the police virtually detained the sister of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Congress chief YS Sharmila Reddy in the office to prevent her from leading the ‘Chalo Secretariat’ march.

The Congress party has given a ‘Chalo Secretariat’ call demanding that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Government address the problems of unemployed youth and students and to demand a Mega DSC (District Selection Committee) to fill teachers’ post in the state.

Sharmila Reddy, who spent the night in the party office Andhra Ratna to avoid house arrest, remained inside with some party leaders.

She said the government had promised to fill 23,000 posts of teachers but issued DSC notification only for 6,000 posts. She demanded that the YSRCP Government apologise to the unemployed.

A large number of policemen remained deployed around Andhra Ratna to stop Sharmila Reddy from coming out.

The police arrested Congress Working Committee (CWC) member G Rudra Raju, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Working President Mastan Vali and several other leaders and workers trying to gather at the party office for the march to the Secretariat.

The Congress leaders raised strong objections to the police action and Mastan Vali wanted to know if there was no democracy in the state.

He tried to pull down the police barricade, leading to heated arguments and fisticuffs between the two sides.

Some police personnel held Mastan Vali by his collar and physically lifted him into a police vehicle.

Rudra Raju and other leaders and Congress workers were also detailed.

Police also placed under house arrest Congress leaders in Vijayawada, Guntur and other places to foil the march.

Reacting sharply to the arrests, Sharmila Reddy said they were arrested for pulling up the YSRCP Government for turning mega DSC into ‘dagha’ DSC. She demanded immediate release of the arrested leaders. She said the government was arresting all those questioning it.

“Thousands of policemen have been deployed around us. Iron fencing has been put up to detain us. They are arresting us for standing by the unemployed. You are dictators who are trying to stop us,” she posted on X.

The APCC President wanted to know if they did not have the right to protest in a democracy.

“Is it not shameful that I as a woman had to spend the night at the party office to avoid house arrest. Are we terrorists or anti-social elements,” Sharmila Reddy asked.

Meanwhile, Rudra Raju said Sharmila Reddy would continue her protest inside the Congress office. He said the party would conduct ‘Chalo Secretariat’ despite all the hurdles created by the government.