YSRCP MLA slams Chandrababu Naidu for playing 'Dalit card'

Amaravati: Accusing TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu of playing the Dalit card for his political interests, YSRCP MLA Merugu Nagarjuna said that the Opposition leader has no right to talk about them.

Speaking to media persons at here on Tuesday, the MLA said while Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been delivering good governance, Naidu, on the other hand unable to digest it and has been playing cheap politics by using Dalit card.

The MLA said it was Naidu who said who would want to be born as an SC and innumerable attacks and atrocities were carried out on Dalits during the previous government and added that Naidu should apologise to Dalits.

He challenged Naidu for an open debate on Dalit welfare schemes that were implemented in the last 26 months and the progress made by the TDP government in the last five years. He reminded that the State government has disbursed Rs 1.04 lakh crore through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) under various welfare schemes in the last two years of which more than Rs 17,000 crore was given to Dalits. He added that the number goes to Rs 24,000 crore including non DBT schemes like Aarogyasri, Jagananna Thodu and house sites etc.

He said Naidu has used classification of Dalits issue for creating rift among Dalits and also created rifts between BC communities and Dalits and OCs and Dalits for his vested interests. He asserted that the State government is committed for welfare and protection of Dalits and said even police were arrested in incidents where Dalits were attacked in the last two years.