KCR cheated STs, must not be forgiven: Uttam

Mahabubabad: Accusing Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao of cheating Tribals, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the members of Scheduled Tribes would punish the TRS in next elections.

Addressing a massive public meeting at NTR Stadium in Mahabubabad constituency on Sunday night as part of Praja Chaintanya Bus Yatra, the TPCC chief said that the TRS Government has failed to fulfil any of the major promises that it made with Tribals. He said the real purpose of formation of Telangana would be lost if steps are not taken for empowerment of Tribals in every aspect. However, KCR has openly cheated the STs by not fulfilling the promises. He said Tribals had extended outright support to TRS in last elections and it had won a majority of seats reserved for STs. Tribals believed that KCR would implement promised 12% reservation However, after four years, Tribals have realised that they have been cheated by TRS Government, he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the STs lost thousands of jobs and seats due to non-increase in their quota from present 6% to 9% in proportionate to their population. He said there were no legal complications involved to increase the quota and it could have been done just by passing a GO. He said KCR has kept the quota issue pending for over four years and now trying to wash off his hands by blaming the BJP Government at the Centre with whom he maintained close friendship ever since he came to power. He said both TRS and BJP Government were anti-Dalits and anti-Tribals.

The TPCC chief said that there was a rise in atrocities on STs after TRS came to power. He also reminded about the incident of Khammam wherein chilli farmers, belonging to ST communities, were implicated in false cases, arrested, hand-cuffed and chained just because they demanded remunerative prices for their produce.

Uttam Kumar Reddy slammed the TRS Government for not creating any opportunities for the development of Tribals. He said the promise of setting up a steel plant in Bayyaram in Mahabubabad remained unfulfilled. He said the steel plant could have provided jobs to hundreds of Tribals. Similarly, he said that Railway Coach Factory in Qazipet remained a distant dream.

He said that the TRS, in its election manifesto, had promised 3 acre land, employment, establishment of Tribal University and upgrading of Tandas into Gram Panchayats. But none of these promises have been fulfilled. He said that the TRS Government did not release even 50% of funds meant for ST Welfare. He pointed out that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pointed out TRS Government has diverted over Rs. 10,000 crore of SC, ST Sub-Plan funds for other purposes.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also expressed anger over Dornakal MLA Redya Naik who joined the TRS along with his daughter Kavitha. He accused Redya Naik of betraying the Congress party where he grew from a sarpanch to MLA. He has left the Congress party in its bad times and all Congress workers should punish him by ensuring his defeat in next elections, he said.

He informed that a meeting in Dornakal was scheduled to be held today. But it had to be postponed due to hailstorm.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that as per the Forest Rights Act, Tribals were entitled to get 10 Acres of the land for cultivation and other purposes. However, TRS Government did not provide even three acres land which it promised in elections. Instead of providing land to the Tribals, KCR Government is harassing the aborigins in the state by filing cases on those who are continuing their cultivation activities on forest lands in the name of Harithaharam and regularization of lands, he alleged.

He also alleged that the KCR Government has remained a mute spectator to the deaths of several Tribals due to outbreak of viral fever and other diseases in Tribal areas across Telangana State.

AICC Secretary R.C. Khuntia, TPCC Working President Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Balram Naik, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, Seethakka, Ravindra Naik and Rammohan Reddy and other senior leaders also addressed the meeting