BJP seeks Guv's intervention on ST quota implementation

Hyderabad: Former MP Ravindra Naik and former Minister Amar Singh Tilawat criticised the State government for neglecting the welfare of tribal communities in Telangana.

Addressing media here on Monday, Ravindra Naik said that the BJP which at the forefront for the welfare of every segment of the society with its objective of "Sab Ka Sat, Sab Ka Vikas" gives hope to the STs in the Telangana.

Naik said that after joining the BJP he had given a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party working President JP Nadda requesting for their intervention for the welfare of STs in the State.

Following this, he has got a response from the Modi and Shah that the Centre will examine the issues raised and steps will be taken to address the concerns.

Naik said that the TRS chief and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had made several promises before the 2014 Assembly elections for the welfare of the SC and STs. However, the government failed to implement 9.08 per cent reservations as per the 2011 population census, he slammed.

Earlier, the State High Court in United Andhra Pradesh had given a direction to implement the reservations. Again, when the issue had come for the scrutiny in 2017, the State government had filed an affidavit with a false assurance of implementing the 9.08 per cent quota.

Similarly, the State government also failed in formulating a scheme and sending them to the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC).

This has left about Rs 400 crore to get lapsed causing loss to the STs. It was against this backdrop that the issue will also be presented before State Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan to intervene in the issue being the head of the Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC) empowered under the Fifth Schedule of the constitution, he said.

Amar Singh Tilawat has criticised the State government for linking the ST reservations with the minority quota. Not implementing ST reservations is causing loss to the STs in the educational and employment opportunities, he slammed.

That apart, the State government is instigating the tribal people to fight among themselves instead of addressing the patta rights under the Forest Rights Act, he said.

He also demanded the State government to recommend on including Gond, Banjara, Lambada and Odisha language in the eight schedules of the constitution to protect the culture and language of the STs.