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Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharimala detained over ‘Chalo Secretariat’ protest

Congress had called for a 'Chalo Secretariat' protest demanding the implementation of the employment poll promise made by YS Jagan in 2019.

BySouth First Desk

Published Feb 22, 2024 | 4:29 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 22, 2024 | 4:29 PM

APCC chief YS Sharmila being detained by the police. (Supplied)

Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila was detained by police on Thursday, 22 February while she was headed for a protest at the state Secretariat in Vijayawada.

The Congress had called for a “Chalo Secretariat” protest on Thursday, demanding the implementation of a poll promise — to provide more employment opportunities — made by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the run-up to the 2019 elections.

The Congress alleged that the YSRCP released only 6,100 teacher DSC job notifications, not fulfilling their 2019 poll promise.

Questioning the YS Jagan government on unemployment, Sharmila said, “YS Jagan has promised to release a job calendar every year, 2,30,000 government jobs in various departments, and 23,000 teacher jobs. It has been five years none of these promises are fully implemented.”

She added that she spent the previous night (Wednesday) in the party office, along with Congress workers, fearing house arrest.

On Thursday morning, as the Congress workers started the march to the Secretariat, around 100-200 policemen surrounded the party office and detained the leaders.

Former state Congress chief Gidugu Rudhra Raju and working president Shaik Mastan Vali were also detained.

Police detained @INC_Andhra former chief Gidugu Rudhra Raju and working president Mastan Vali as they were on their way to protest at the secretariat. @realyssharmila is set to start the march shortly; she spent the night at the party office to avoid arrests. pic.twitter.com/VKLXHIPnci

— South First (@TheSouthfirst) February 22, 2024

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Protest over unemployment

Speaking to reporters in Vijayawada, Sharmila said that the police were detaining all the Congress workers who were coming to Vijayawada to protest.

“Is this Afghanistan or Andhra Pradesh? We don’t have the freedom to protest peacefully and give representation over unemployment,” she questioned.

Later, when she started the protest march to the Secretariat, she was detained by the police and was taken to Mangalagiri Police Station.

This is her first confrontation protest against her brother YS Jagan, ever since she assumed the position of the PCC chief.

#AndhraPradesh: Police detained @INC_Andhra chief @realyssharmila as she headed to protest at the #Secretariat, demanding the implementation of the Mega DSC notification promised during the 2019 elections by her brother @ysjagan.

According to #Congress leaders, she is now being… pic.twitter.com/967kZbZdyG

— South First (@TheSouthfirst) February 22, 2024

AICC in charge of Andhra Pradesh, Manickam Tagore too condemned the arrest of YS Sharmila.

We strongly condemn the arrest of APCC president YS Sharmila Reddy Garu for protesting against the unemployment issue in AP.
The manner in which the police surrounded her for arrest indicates Jagan’s anger towards her.
⁦@INCIndia⁩ ⁦@realyssharmila⁩ pic.twitter.com/xV0tWy4IP3

— Manickam Tagore .B🇮🇳மாணிக்கம் தாகூர்.ப (@manickamtagore) February 22, 2024