YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Regional Coordinator and former minister Kurasala Kannababu on Tuesday, 29 September accused the Andhra Pradesh coalition government led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of systematically undermining the state's village and ward secretariat system through what he described as deliberate misinformation and political hostility. Speaking from his camp office in Kakinada, Kannababu alleged the administration was treating secretariat employees as political opponents due to its animosity toward former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Suspensions and Police Action Against Employees

Kannababu strongly condemned what he called a pattern of intimidation against secretariat workers. According to him, more than 140 employees had been suspended, and women employees were reportedly taken to police stations and harassed for protesting their demands. He argued that instead of addressing legitimate grievances, the government was deploying coercive measures against its own administrative workforce. YSRCP, he asserted, would stand firmly with the affected employees.

What the YSRCP Government Built

The former minister outlined the legislative and administrative architecture that the previous YSRCP government had constructed. He said the YSRCP government established 15,004 Village and Ward Secretariats in 2019, creating a structured framework covering duties, job charts, service matters, probation rules, and departmental lines. Government Orders covering service rules for 17 categories of employees were issued during that tenure, along with mechanisms for promotions, regularisation, and pay revision. He argued that claims suggesting the system lacked service rules or promotion channels contradicted those official government orders.

What the Secretariat System Delivers to Citizens

Kannababu emphasised that the secretariat network was designed to deliver pensions, ration cards, welfare benefits, and services covering revenue, agriculture, health, and sanitation directly at the village level. It was integrated with the volunteer system to bring governance to citizens' doorsteps. Critically, he said the network had served as a frontline administrative layer during cyclones, floods, and other emergencies. Any reduction in staffing or alteration of responsibilities, he warned, would directly diminish services available to ordinary citizens.

YSRCP's Demands and Political Challenge

The YSRCP leader demanded an immediate halt to all cases and suspensions, and called on the government to provide a clear roadmap on job charts, service rules, promotions, probation, regularisation, and pay revision. He also demanded clarity on whether the Naidu government intended to strengthen or dismantle the system. 'If the government truly believes this is a useless system, does it have the courage to abolish it completely? If not, why weaken it piece by piece and make both employees and citizens suffer?' Kannababu said, asserting that YSRCP would continue its fight for employees' rights and decentralised public services.