Ongole: Chalo Vijayawada on July 23

Ongole: The leaders of SC, ST Employees and Teachers urged colleagues and members of the organisations to prepare for an agitation to protect the reservations in promotions of their jobs. The Bahujan Teachers Association, Mandal Education Officers Association, and other organisations conducted an awareness programme with the SC, ST employees and teachers in Ongole on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, the SC-ST Employees and Teachers JAC coordinator P Venkata Rao said that the Union government provided consequential seniority to the SC, ST employees by amending Article 16(4) of the Indian Constitution in 2001. But, the state government is trying to bring the initial cadre seniority or catch-up rule, which was against the constitution.

The JAC state president Pattapu Seenaiah said that employees from the SC and STs will suffer huge loss from the catch-up rule, and advised them to be aware on the GOs.

He announced that they are conducting a ‘Chalo Vijayawada’ programme on July 23, and asked them to support their agitation. He demanded the chief minister to respond immediately and cancels the middle-level officers’ committee.

The Jai Bheem Foundation founder Nageswara Rao advised the SC, ST employees to have a social responsibility and awareness of their rights. He advised them to continue the fight until the government responds and accepts their demands.

The ASSEAC president Ch Sudheer Babu said that the SC, ST employees are worrying now, as they are receiving great punishments like halting promotions even for a small mistake. The Mandal Education Officers Association district president Battula Nagendra said that Ambedkar is their inspiration and agitation is the only way for protecting their rights.

The BTA leaders Parabattina Jalaramaiah, Maddirala Sarath, Paleti Suvarna Babu, Velpuri Bhagyam, Mandal Education Officers Association leaders T Kishore Babu, ASSEAC leaders Ch Ramakrishna Rao, M Koteswara Rao, Rajesh and others also participated in the

programme.