Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha accused the YSRCP of using criminal elements in protests, while defending the coalition government's recruitment and law-and-order record.
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha on Thursday accused the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) of resorting to violence and using individuals with criminal backgrounds during recent protests, while asserting that providing employment to youth was a priority of the ruling coalition government.
Addressing a press conference at the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) central office in Mangalagiri, Anitha said the coalition government had been working to fulfil the mandate given by voters in the 2024 Assembly elections through development, welfare and what she described as rule-based governance.
“Jobs for youth are the nature of the coalition, while rowdyism is the nature of Jagan,” Anitha said, targeting former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.
She alleged that the previous YSRCP government had weakened institutions and caused widespread damage during its five-year tenure, beginning with the demolition of Praja Vedika and continuing through the arrest of TDP chief and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Anitha said the coalition government had reduced the crime rate in the state by 14 per cent and claimed that improved law and order had helped attract investments worth thousands of crores of rupees and employment opportunities to Andhra Pradesh.
The Home Minister highlighted the recruitment of more than 16,000 teachers, saying the appointments were made transparently after overcoming legal hurdles.
She credited Human Resources Development and IT Minister Nara Lokesh with fulfilling a commitment made during his Yuva Galam padayatra.
According to Anitha, Lokesh had explained the recruitment process in detail through a PowerPoint presentation in the Assembly and challenged Jagan Mohan Reddy on three occasions to participate in an open discussion. She alleged that the former Chief Minister did not attend the Assembly to respond to the questions.
She claimed that more than 350 sportspersons who had arrived at the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) office in Vijayawada with their certificates and TET qualification documents had sought protection following alleged threats.
According to the minister, a group of YSRCP supporters arrived in around 50 to 60 vehicles and allegedly attacked the sportspersons with stones, glass bottles and iron rods.
Anitha alleged that several people involved in the protests had criminal cases against them. She displayed photographs and details of cases at the press conference and claimed that some individuals had been booked in cases involving murder, attempted murder and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
She also cited alleged criminal cases against some former legislators and other individuals, including a person she identified as Chaitanya, whom she said had been involved in the earlier attack on the TDP central office.
The minister alleged that portraying individuals facing criminal cases as ordinary members of the younger generation was an attempt to politically exploit students and youth.
She urged parents to remain vigilant and ensure that their children were not drawn into political violence.
Anitha also questioned the YSRCP's criticism of the recent teacher recruitment process.
She alleged that the previous government had faced serious controversies over the conduct of APPSC Group-1 examinations and questioned why the former Chief Minister had not responded to allegations surrounding those issues.
She also referred to allegations connected with the liquor policy during the previous government and claimed that criticism of the DSC recruitment process was being used to divert public attention from those controversies.
The minister further accused the previous government of humiliating teachers by assigning them duties at liquor outlets. In contrast, she said, the coalition government regarded schools with respect and teachers as an important part of society.
Anitha said CCTV footage had captured incidents involving people allegedly attacking teachers and creating disturbances during protests near the SAAP office.
She warned that the government would take action against anyone who violated the law or resorted to violence.
“No one who takes the law into their own hands will be spared,” she said, adding that the government would take strict action against what she described as “rowdyism”.
The allegations made by the Home Minister at the press conference relate to political disputes between the ruling coalition and the opposition YSRCP. The claims concerning individual criminal cases and incidents would need to be assessed against police records, court proceedings and other independently verifiable evidence.
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