YSRCP stood by govt school students despite lack of votes: Jagan

Amaravati, Nov 6 (PTI) Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday said his erstwhile YSRCP government stood by government school students by implementing reforms and initiatives, despite being aware that they "didn't have votes".

Addressing a YSRCP youth wing meeting at the party’s central office in Tadepalli, Jagan recalled initiatives extended to government school students between 2019 and 2024.

"Students may not have votes, yet we stood by them. That is real leadership," Jagan said, citing initiatives of his regime, such as English-medium education, TOEFL classes from third standard, distribution of Oxford dictionaries, tablets from eighth standard, and several others.

These initiatives, he said, backed by 'Nadu-Nedu' (government schools renovation programme), 'Amma Vodi' (mother’s lap scheme), 'Jagananna Gorumudda' (mid-day meal scheme for public school students), and others, ensured that no poor child dropped out.

Condemning the alleged privatisation of government medical colleges, Reddy said there were only 12 medical colleges in the state over a period of 96 years, but within five years of YSRCP rule, 17 more were established.

Out of these 17, he said, seven were completed and three were operationalised, adding 2,550 MBBS seats.

"Selling colleges is not a policy but plunder,” Reddy said. As part of YSRCP’s campaign against the alleged privatisation of government medical colleges, he added that a one-crore signature campaign and rallies will be held on November 12.

He also announced an agitation in December over the fee reimbursement issue, calling on the party’s youth leaders to form committees down to the village level to "give a democratic shock to the anti-student regime".

Meanwhile, YSRCP leaders urged people to unite against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s alleged "arrogant, anti-people and destructive governance." They alleged that the NDA alliance government is pushing the state towards ruin while commemorating the eighth anniversary of Reddy’s 3,648-km political walkathon ahead of the 2019 polls.

"(YSRCP) leaders condemned the current regime for dismantling revolutionary reforms in education and healthcare. They noted that Jagan modernised 16,000 schools and established 17 government medical colleges (seven completed) to ensure equity and access," a press release from the opposition party said.

By allegedly privatising government medical colleges, "scrapping English-medium education, and destroying government schools", YSRCP leaders claimed that quality education and healthcare are "being made inaccessible to the poor." Further, YSRCP claimed that what Delhi achieved in 10 years in public education was accomplished by Reddy in just three years, despite the Covid-induced pandemic.

Former minister and YSRCP leader P Venkatramaiah said Reddy will embark on a Praja Sankalpa Yatra (political walkathon) in 2027, the release added.

There was no immediate reaction from the TDP. PTI STH SSK