YSR Congress Party President and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy strongly condemned the manner in which the Chandrababu Naidu government and the police sought to suppress YSRCP leaders protesting against the shifting of the Tribal Residential School at Marikavalasa in Visakhapatnam.
Taking to X, YS Jagan expressed anger over the inappropriate treatment meted out by the police to former Deputy Chief Minister Pushpa Srivani and questioned whether standing with tribal students and their parents had become a crime.
“Chandrababu garu, why such cruelty towards former ministers, former MLAs and leaders belonging to the tribal community? Will you stoop to such behaviour against former Deputy Chief Minister Pushpa Srivani? Will you use police force to suppress their voices? Will you place YSRCP leaders under house arrest everywhere? What crime have they committed?” he asked.
He said the only “offence” committed by the leaders was standing in solidarity with parents protesting against the shifting of the Government Tribal Residential School at Marikavalasa and questioning the government on their behalf.
YS Jagan said parents and tribal organisations had been protesting against the shifting of the school since August 20, but the government had not even shown the patience to hear their objections. He questioned why there was any need to shift the residential school in the first place.
He recalled that during YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s tenure, seven residential institutions were established under the School of Excellence concept, based on the advice and suggestions of noted educationist and then MLC Chukka Ramaiah. These institutions were designed to provide quality education from Class VIII to Intermediate so that ST students could secure admission to premier institutions such as NITs and IITs.
Qualified teachers were appointed, incentives were provided to them and specialised coaching helped tribal students secure seats in prestigious institutions, he said.
YS Jagan said that during the YSRCP government, infrastructure in these schools was further strengthened under Nadu-Nedu, while teaching standards were improved through online coaching and interactive platforms. Tribal students securing seats in NITs and IITs were also given ₹40,000 as an incentive along with laptops.
He questioned why students were now being forcibly shifted from well-functioning schools and subjected to hardship.
YS Jagan said tribal students had as much right as anyone else to study in a city like Visakhapatnam. He also referred to the shifting of hundreds of students from an SC residential school at Kota in Nellore district in the middle of the academic year.
He said more than 2,000 students from four residential schools had been disrupted and scattered due to such decisions.
“Will you play with the lives of students? Chandrababu garu, you and your son are throwing the Education Department into disorder with such irrational decisions,” he said.
YS Jagan criticised the government’s proposal to provide specialised coaching only from the Intermediate level, saying students preparing for competitive examinations such as JEE and NEET require a strong foundation from at least Class VIII.
He said weakening the existing Schools of Excellence, which were built around that very concept, was wrong.
YS Jagan demanded that the government review its decision, listen to the objections of students and parents, and allow children to continue their education at institutions of their choice.
He also demanded that the government apologise to tribal women leaders for the inappropriate treatment meted out to them.
YS Jagan pays Tribute to YSR on 17th Death Anniversary
Idupulapaya, September 2: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy paid floral tributes to his father and former Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on his 17th death anniversary at the YSR Ghat in Idupulapaya.
Accompanied by his mother Vijayamma, wife Y.S. Bharathi and other family members, YS Jagan laid a floral wreath at the memorial and participated in special prayers.
Remembering his father, YS Jagan posted on X: “Miss you always, Dad! You’ll forever be my inspiration.”
YSRCP leaders, cadres and supporters across Andhra Pradesh also paid tributes to YSR, recalling his contribution to welfare, agriculture, healthcare, education and irrigation.
A large number of people gathered along YS Jagan’s route to greet him and shake hands with him.
Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly known as YSR, died in a helicopter crash on September 2, 2009.
