YS Sharmila detained after spending night in party office to avoid house arrest

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila Reddy was detained by Andhra Pradesh police along with other party leaders and workers in Vijayawada. Sharmila had staged a protest against the YSRCP Government and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the Andhra Ratna Bhavan on Thursday.

Sharmila had called for a 'Chalo Secretariat' march to protest and held a sit-in demonstration at the building. Carrying placards, the protesting Congress workers and leaders, led by Sharmila, raised slogans against the State Government, demanding jobs for unemployed youth in Andhra Pradesh.

However, the police detained Sharmila and other Congress leaders and workers before they could march towards the secretariat. Minor scuffles broke out between the police and Congress workers as several party leaders were detained following their march.

APCC working president Sheikh Mastan Vali was detained by the cops as he started his march to the secretariat along with party cadre.

AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Manickam Tagore criticised the police's heavy-handed approach.

"Appalled by the mistreatment of APCC working president Mastan Vali, Ex-MLA and Congress workers by Jagan Police in Vijayawada. As they prepared to march against the unemployment crisis in AP, this heavy-handed approach is unacceptable. Protest is a democratic right," Tagore posted on social media.

The protest aimed to demand justice for unemployed youth and the student community in the State.

Addressing the protest, YS Sharmila said, "According to a study, over 21,000 died by suicide due to unemployment. Instead of addressing this crisis, the YSCRP Government is undemocratically arresting Congress leaders and karyakartas who are agitating for justice."

Earlier, in a post on social media, YS Sharmila, the newly elected Andhra Congress State President, said, "Thousands of policemen were placed around us. Iron fences have been put up and we have been held hostage. If we stand on the side of the unemployed, they are arresting us. You are dictators who are trying to stop us. Your actions are proof of this. YCP Sarkar should apologize to the unemployed."

A day before the protest, YS Sharmila spent the night in the party office to evade arrest.