Vijayawada: Around 40 Congress party activists in Vijayawada were arrested on Thursday for staging a road roko and raising slogans here as part of a planned protest walk to the Secretariat, against the recent District Selection Committee (DSC) notification to recruit teachers.
The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) called a 'chalo secretariat' protest walk today from its office Andhra Ratna Bhavan.
"We have arrested around 40 people (Congress activists) for obstructing traffic and raising slogans on Eluru Road. We have removed them," Vijayawada South deputy commissioner of police (DCP) B Ravi Kiran told PTI.
Meanwhile, APCC president Y S Sharmila said the YSRCP government was making arrests when the Congress party is standing by unemployed people.
Sharmila demanded the YSRCP to apologise to unemployed people as it reportedly promised 23,000 jobs but notified only around 6,000 in the DSC notification.
"Under the autocratic rule of YSRCP, arrets are being made when questions are being posed about the deceitful DSC. Thousands of police have been deployed around us with barricades, giving an impression that we are captives," said APCC president Y S Sharmila in a post on X.
Later, addressing a press conference, she noted that police have been on high alert since past two days to restrict Congress party leaders and activists ahead of 'chalo secretariat'.
"What is our mistake? What is our sin? Are we thieves or bandits? What is the need for the government to restrict us? If you (YSRCP government) have really performed well then why are you fearing a protest from us?" asked Sharmila.
She demanded a mega DSC notification with 30,000 teacher jobs and also a job calendar.
—PTI