Dispute Over Installation Of Ambedkar Statue: Ex-MP lauds Dalits for patience
Former MP GV Harsha Kumar interacting with Dalits at Tirumalayapalem village on Monday
Rajamahendravaram (East Godavari district): Former MP GV Harsha Kumar alleged that the attitude of Jagan Mohan Reddy government towards Dalits in the State is inhumane and inappropriate. He criticised the policies of the YSRCP as it is grabbing Dalit lands and damaging the self-respect of Dalits. All the Dalits had voted for Jagan hoping that they would get justice and this government had cheated them all, he criticised.
Former MP Harsh Kumar visited Tirumalayapalem village, which was in the news recently due to clashes and a police lathi-charge, where a fierce dispute broke out between Scheduled Castes and others regarding the installation of Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statue and held a meeting with Dalits.
Addressing Dalits in Tirumalayapalem of Gokavaram mandal on Monday, he called upon them not to vote for Jagan Mohan Reddy under any circumstances in the upcoming elections. He said that how all the Dalits of the village fought for their self-respect in a united and peaceful manner is commendable.
On this occasion, the villagers said that the statue of Ambedkar is a symbol of their self-respect and asked the former MP to cooperate in erecting it. He said that the residences of some of the farmers in the area where the statue is to be erected are in the assigned lands. There is no legality in those registrations. Harsha Kumar said, “If they did not cooperate in setting up the statue, I will not hesitate to take back those lands in a legal procedure.” He suggested that the farmers should voluntarily help the Dalits in setting up the statue.
Harsha Kumar assured them that he would get permission to set up the statue and also give them Ambedkar’s statue. Dalits complained that the farmers in the village were not calling them for work and not giving them work.
The former MP said that representatives of the National SC and ST Commission will visit the village soon. Harsha Kumar said that despite being attacked by the police and others in the village, the Dalits behaved peacefully.