BCs being ignored under YSRCP rule, flays Ravindra

Kurnool: TDP BC cell state president Kollu Ravindra on Wednesday alleged that the Ministers in Jagan's Cabinet were just acting as rubber stamps.

They don't hold any power as the reins are in the hands of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. The Ministers work only to win accolades from the Chief Minister rather than striving for the welfare of the people or for the progress of the State.

Ravindra who visited Kurnool on Wednesday addressed a press conference here. He alleged that the Ministers remain as just spectators and they lack the power to do something good to the State or to the people.

He said those representing the Backward Classes (BCs) are the worst affected in Jagan's government. They have been ignored in the State for the last three years and deprived of justice.

Though the Chief Minister has announced nominated posts to BCs and formation of 56 corporations, but surprisingly none of the corporations was allocated funds. The funds were all diverted for Navaratnalu schemes.

Ravindra recalled that during the TDP rule, federations were set up and funds were also allocated up to Rs 30 lakh, these funds were of great help to the BCs. He also said that the State government by introducing GO No-217 was doing great injustice to the fishermen community. The TDP is planning to stage a protest against the GO on April 18. He sought the cooperation of all opposition parties and BC organizations in this regard.

The party's Parliamentary constituency presidents of Kurnool and Nandyal, Somisetty Venkateswarlu and Gowru Venkata Reddy have criticised Jagan for claiming that he was the only person who provided political power to the BCs. They said he gave such a statement only out of ignorance. Jagan should know that BCs were provided Cabinet berths and important portfolios during the regimes of both N T Rama Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu.

MLCs KE Prabhakar and BT Naidu demanded that the government immediately suspend the GO No. 217. He said that all BC organisations will participate in the protest called by Kollu Ravindra on April 18 and will make it a grand success. The BCs constitute 56 per cent of the State's population and they were earlier provided 36 per cent reservation. Jagan's government has brought down the reservation to 24 per cent, they lamented.

TDP's Kurnool constituency in-charge Gowru Cheritha Reddy, party leaders TG Bharat, Akepogu Prabhakar, Y Nageshwar Rao Yadav, Mallela Rajasekhar Goud and others were present.