NEW DELHI: YS Sharmila Reddy, the state Congress chief, and sister of Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy stayed overnight at the Congress office in Vijayawada, claiming an attempt by the government to house-arrest her.
This unfolded following her leadership in the Congress’s ‘Chalo Secretariat’ protest, aimed at addressing the challenges faced by unemployed youth and students. In a viral video, Sharmila is seen lying on a cot on the party office floor, underscoring the intensity of the political face-off.
She took to ‘X’, questioning the government’s actions, stating, “If we call for protest on behalf of the unemployed, will you try to keep us under house arrest? Don’t we have the right to protest in a democracy? Is it not shameful that as a woman I have been forced to evade the police and spend the night in the Congress Party office to avoid house arrest?”
నిరుద్యోగుల పక్షాన పోరాటానికి పిలుపునిస్తే హౌజ్ అరెస్ట్ లు చేయాలని చూస్తారా ? వేలాదిగా తరలి వస్తున్న పార్టీ శ్రేణులను ఎందుకు ఆపుతున్నారు ? ప్రజాస్వామ్యంలో నిరసన తెలిపే హక్కు మాకు లేదా ? నేను ఒక మహిళనై ఉండి హౌజ్ అరెస్ట్ కాకుండా ఉండేందుకు,పోలీసులను తప్పించుకొని కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీ…
— YS Sharmila (@realyssharmila) February 21, 2024
ALSO READ: Andhra Pradesh CM’s sister YS Sharmila joins Congress
Sharmila accused CM Jagan Reddy of failing to address critical issues affecting the youth, unemployed, and students during his five-year tenure. She asserted her right to protest in a democracy and criticised the government for attempting to thwart their movement.
On Thursday, Sharmila claimed that thousands of policemen surrounded her, describing the situation as an attempt to stifle their voices. Congress Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore condemned what he called Jagan Mohan Reddy’s “dictatorial attitude” and expressed solidarity with Sharmila’s struggle for democratic rights.
Sharmila’s entry into the Congress in January and subsequent elevation as the state chief brought heightened political tension. She accused her brother of sidelining development and pointed to a surge in atrocities against Dalits.
ALSO READ: Did BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari brand Sikh IPS officer as ‘Khalistani’?
“There has been a steep increase in atrocities on Dalits. Mining and sand mafia are ruling the roost,” she had told Congress workers. Additionally, she criticised the government for its silence on the denial of special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
The ‘Chalo Secretariat’ protest, organised by Congress workers, faced opposition from the police, who denied permission and reportedly put Congress leaders under house arrest. In response, Sharmila spent the night at the Congress office, leading to a standoff with the police.
Addressing the ongoing protest, Sharmila demanded the fulfilment of CM’s promise to fill 23,000 vacant posts. She accused the government of resorting to a “fraud DSC” (district selection committee) instead of conducting a genuine recruitment process.
