Vijayawada, September 21: YSR Congress Party leaders and workers staged a massive protest near the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) office in Vijayawada, demanding a CBI investigation into irregularities in Mega DSC-2025, particularly sports quota recruitments, and the resignation of Education Minister Nara Lokesh. Police erected barricades and prevented protesters from reaching the SAAP office, leading to tense scenes at Labbipet. Police resorted to a lathi-charge while dispersing YSRCP protesters, and several leaders and activists were detained.
YSRCP leaders said the protest was peaceful and questioned why the government was using police force instead of ordering an independent investigation into the recruitment process. Tension increased when protesters attempted to move past barricades. Police resorted to a lathi-charge while dispersing the gathering, and several YSRCP leaders and activists were detained. Former ministers Jogi Ramesh and Vellampalli Srinivas and former MLA Malladi Vishnu, former Vinukonda MLA Bolla Brahmanaidu were among the leaders present at the protest.
The party said persons linked to the TDP entered the SAAP premises posing as teachers and attacked YSRCP activists and student-wing leaders with sticks, leaving several injured. YSRCP charged that police failed to prevent the clashes and instead used force against its workers.
Police also stopped YSRCP leaders travelling to Vijayawada from different districts. Former Minister Ambati Rambabu, Vanama Bala Vajrababu, Ambati Muralikrishna, Noori Fatima and others were intercepted near Kaza Toll Plaza and taken to Pedakakani Police Station. Jakkampudi Raja, Perni Krishna Murthy , Nagarjuna Yadav, and others were detained at Krishnalanka Police Station after participating in the DSC protest.
YSRCP reiterated that the government must order a CBI probe, disclose the truth behind the DSC sports quota selections and ensure justice to qualified candidates.
