Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Aug 2: YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of pursuing "politics of vendetta" and "authoritarian governance", asserting that his party would continue to resist what he described as the misuse of police and criminal cases against political opponents.
Reiterating his demand for the resignation of Education Minister Nara Lokesh over the alleged irregularities in the District Selection Committee (DSC)-2025 teacher recruitment process, Jagan claimed the government was avoiding accountability by targeting opposition leaders.
In a post on X, the former Chief Minister told Chandrababu Naidu that political power, police authority and false criminal cases were temporary, and maintained that the YSR Congress Party would continue to stand with victims, challenge injustice and oppose what he termed authoritarian rule.
"You may be able to arrest individuals, but you cannot break the courage that resides in the hearts of the people, nor can you silence the questions they continue to ask," he said.
Claiming that the younger generation was questioning the government's functioning across the state, Jagan sought answers on the alleged DSC-2025 recruitment irregularities, asking why there had been no CBI probe and why Education Minister Nara Lokesh had not resigned.
He also questioned the delay in releasing the pending Rs 9,500 crore under the Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena schemes, the government's failure to implement its promise of a Rs 3,000 monthly unemployment allowance, and the payment of Rs 1.08 lakh in arrears allegedly due to every unemployed youth over the last three years.
According to Jagan, neither Chandrababu Naidu nor Lokesh had responded to these issues, and instead the government was resorting to false cases, midnight arrests and police excesses to divert public attention.
Alleging partisan action by the state police, the YSRCP chief claimed that ruling party members involved in attacks were being protected, while YSR Congress workers and victims were being booked in criminal cases.
He further alleged that public representatives supporting victims were also facing criminal cases, while those questioning the government were subjected to arrests and midnight police raids.
Questioning the government's actions, Jagan asked whether such practices reflected democracy, justice or the rule of law.