Lokesh’s Remarks Spark Controversy
A local incident that took place in Visakhapatnam during the COVID-19 lockdown has become a subject of political controversy after Education Minister Nara Lokesh referred to it in the Assembly. Lokesh reportedly alleged that the then YS Jagan government had assigned teachers security duties at liquor shops across the state.
However, available information suggests that the incident was not the result of a state-wide government policy or a formal government order. Instead, it appears to have been a temporary, local-level arrangement in Visakhapatnam during the reopening of liquor shops in May 2020.
What Happened in Visakhapatnam in May 2020?
As COVID-19 lockdown restrictions were relaxed in May 2020, liquor shops were reopened in several places. Large crowds gathered outside liquor outlets in Visakhapatnam, raising concerns about crowd management and physical distancing.
According to the available details, a small number of teachers were reportedly deployed to help regulate queues and ensure that people maintained physical distance. This was said to have been done at the request of local police authorities.
There are claims that the then District Education Officer, Lingeswara Reddy, verbally instructed some teachers to report to nearby police stations following the local police request.
Orders Were Reportedly Withdrawn
The issue reportedly came to the attention of the government soon after the instructions were issued. Following directions from the district administration and the Collector, the instructions were withdrawn and the teachers were removed from those duties.
This indicates that the incident was a temporary, district-level arrangement rather than a state-wide policy requiring teachers to perform duties at liquor shops.
No State-Wide Government Order?
The key point of contention is whether the Visakhapatnam incident can be described as a policy of the then state government.
According to the information available, there was no specific government order directing teachers across Andhra Pradesh to perform duties at liquor shops during the lockdown. The Visakhapatnam episode appears to have originated from a local request for assistance with crowd management and was subsequently withdrawn.
Therefore, critics argue that presenting the incident as a state-wide government policy could give a misleading impression of what actually happened.
Political Context Behind the Controversy
Lokesh’s reference to the incident has attracted political attention at a time when the current government is facing criticism from opposition parties over the conduct of the DSC recruitment process and allegations of irregularities.
YSRCP MLCs have reportedly argued that, instead of referring to isolated incidents from the previous government, the Education Minister should first respond to questions surrounding the current DSC process.
YSRCP’s Counterargument
Opposition leaders contend that a local administrative incident should not be portrayed as a state-wide policy without providing evidence of a formal government order.
They argue that raising such incidents while avoiding detailed discussion of the current DSC controversy amounts to shifting the focus away from present issues.
The opposition has called for the government to place all relevant facts before the public and engage in a detailed discussion on the allegations surrounding the DSC recruitment process.
The Larger Debate
The controversy ultimately centers on how the 2020 Visakhapatnam incident is being characterized. While teachers may have been temporarily involved in crowd-management duties following a local police request, the available account does not establish that the then state government had adopted a state-wide policy of assigning teachers to liquor shops.
The political debate therefore continues over whether the incident should be viewed as a local administrative episode or cited as evidence of a broader government policy.
