Vested interests led by TD instigating teachers to go on strike: CM Jagan

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy has expressed deep concern over the protests against the government by the teachers' unions. They are carrying with the agenda of the opposition parties, he said.

Jagan said the opposition parties could not digest the good things his government did for the employees in ways that no other government in the country did so far.

Taking a dig at the previous government during the Jagananna Thodu programme here on Tuesday, chief minister Jagan said the previous government had diluted the fee-reimbursement scheme that benefited poor students from the backward classes (BCs). The YSRC government instead turned the BCs from Backward Classes to the state’s “Backbone Classes” by empowering the weaker sections socially, economically, and politically, he said.

“Andhra Pradesh is the first to bring the BC Commission and has made laws in implementing 50 per cent reservation for BCs, SCs, STs, Minorities and women in all nominated posts and contracts. Standing by this, during the composition of the state cabinet, 60 per cent posts were given to BC, SC, ST, and minority leaders, and two BC leaders were sent to Rajya Sabha.

Chief Minister Jagan criticised the left parties for carrying the TDP’s agenda of supporting Chandrababu even though Naidu was objecting to the grant of free houses for the poor in Amaravati. “The TD is citing demographic imbalance to scuttle the housing project and this party is currently instigating employees against the government.”

Jagan said, “No one wants state government employees to go on strike; neither the people, nor the government, other than those who were adamant in making Chandrababu the chief minister again.”

Jagan said vested interests have been instigating teachers to go on strike, even during these testing times of Covid pandemic. For the last two years, all the students were being passed without examinations. In this third year, it was sad to see teachers going on strike, leaving students in the lurch. We are trying to do good for the employees despite the financial situation of the state being bad due to the coronavirus outbreak, he said.