Tadepalli, August 10: Defying widespread police restrictions, arrests, house detentions and barricades, YSRCP leaders, students and unemployed youth held protest rallies across Andhra Pradesh demanding a CBI investigation into Mega DSC–2025 irregularities and the resignation of Education Minister Nara Lokesh. The rallies followed three days of relay hunger strikes and marked a further intensification of the statewide agitation.
Police deployed heavily across constituencies from early morning, stopped leaders from reaching protest venues and denied permission for several rallies. In Pulivendula, police resorted to a lathi-charge on YSRCP workers proceeding to submit a memorandum to the RDO. Former minister Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy was detained in Anantapur district, while Kodali Nani, Jakkampudi Raja, P. Rajanna Dora and several other leaders were placed under house arrest. Police also stopped Legislative Council Opposition Leader Botsa Satyanarayana in Cheepurupalli, prompting him to stage a road sit-in.
Arrests and restrictions were reported in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Kuppam, Chittoor, Kurnool, Nandyal, Krishna, NTR, Prakasam, West Godavari, Kakinada and Parvathipuram Manyam districts. In Vijayawada, barricades were erected to block YSRCP cadres, while in Ponnur police removed a protest tent. At several places, leaders and cadres continued their marches despite attempts to stop them.
Large rallies were nevertheless held in Guntur, Nellore, Chandragiri, Adoni, Chilakaluripet, Machilipatnam, Nandigama, Bhimavaram, Narasapuram, Kakinada, Kondepi and several other constituencies, with significant participation from students and unemployed youth.
YSRCP said the police crackdown had failed to suppress the movement and declared that the agitation would continue until the government orders a CBI probe into DSC–2025, secures Lokesh’s resignation, clears pending Fee Reimbursement and Vasathi Deevena dues, and implements the promised unemployment allowance.
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