Vijayawada: BC Welfare minister S Savitha challenged former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and YSRCP leaders to attend the Assembly and debate issues such as urea supply, onion prices, and medical colleges instead of resorting to false propaganda and social media attacks.

Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Savitha lashed out at the YSRCP for allegedly spreading misinformation and circulating morphed photographs of her online. She confirmed filing a complaint with the Cyber Crime police, demanding stringent action against those responsible. “If you are so confident, why indulge in fake propaganda? Come to the Assembly and discuss openly,” she remarked, warning YSRCP leaders against degrading women with offensive remarks.

Savitha strongly reacted to the criticism from YSRCP leaders R K Roja and Ushasri Charan, pointing out that several YSRCP defectors, including Roja and Vidadala Rajini, had learned their political basics in the TDP. She accused the previous regime of destroying lakes for layouts and questioned why the YSRCP was afraid of revealing the truth about medical colleges. She also reminded that Jagan Mohan Reddy governed from the Secretariat built by Chandrababu Naidu.

Highlighting her ministry’s achievements, Savitha expressed happiness that 246 BC candidates trained under the BC Study Circles were recently selected as teachers in the Mega DSC recruitment.

She said free online and offline coaching was provided to over 6,470 BC aspirants across the state, of whom 241 secured teaching posts. The centres also trained candidates for civil services, RRB, FRO, and police constable exams, with several securing government jobs. The minister added that the BC welfare department’s free coaching initiative had won the prestigious SKOCH Award, which will be presented in New Delhi on September 20. She reiterated that the Naidu-led coalition government was committed to ensuring maximum employment opportunities for BC youth, while also fulfilling pre-poll promises like Amma Vandanam, free RTC bus travel for women, three free LPG cylinders, Anna Canteens, Annadata Sukhibhava, and Mega DSC recruitment.