YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday alleged that the State government was resorting to intimidation and use of force to suppress the protests being staged demanding a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the DSC-2025 teacher recruitment process.

In a  message on X, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the government of attempting to shield HRD Minister Nara Lokesh from accountability, and questioned why an independent investigation into the alleged paper leak and recruitment irregularities had not been ordered.

Referring to the YSRCP-TDP clash in Vijayawada and the preventive arrest of former MLA Malladi Vishnu on Thursday, the former Chief Minister alleged that the relay hunger strike was disrupted by the ruling party leaders and workers. Tents erected were damaged and the protesters, including Mr. Vishnu, attacked in the presence of the police, he alleged.

Similar incidents had taken place in Chilakaluripet, Kanigiri, Yadiki, Tadipatri, Palamaneru, Repalle, Guntur, Ponnur, Vemuru, Macherla, Gurazala, Kandukur and Bapatla, he alleged.

The YSRCP president said unemployed youth had been denied the opportunity to express their concerns peacefully, and accused the government of responding to criticism with repression.

He reiterated the party’s demands, including a CBI investigation into the alleged DSC irregularities, accountability on the part of the HRD Minister, release of pending fee reimbursement and accommodation assistance dues under the Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena schemes, and implementation of the monthly unemployment allowance. He asserted that the protests would continue until justice was delivered.

Meanwhile, addressing the media at the YSRCP office in Tadepalli, former Minister Kurasala Kannababu accused the government of using Cabinet meetings to criticise Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy instead of addressing public issues.

Mr. Kannababu claimed that Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had become the “single-point agenda” of the government. A “shadow meeting” was being held under the leadership of Mr. Lokesh before the Cabinet meeting, he observed, and this reflected the growing influence of the Minister in the functioning of the government.

“The coalition government is frustrated as large crowds are attending Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s public programmes. The administration is failing to provide adequate security during the YSRCP leader’s visits,” Mr. Kannababu alleged.

Questioning the emphasis on the PPP projects, he alleged the government was attempting to privatise several sectors under its guise. He also criticised the proposal to extend interest-free loan to industrialists, claiming that the YSRCP government had focused on providing similar assistance to farmers and women’s groups.

He further said that members of Gen Z should not be branded as “blade batch” or “ganja batch” merely for raising questions or participating in demonstrations.