Dalits unsafe under TRS rule: TPCC Uttam Kumar Reddy

Bhupalpally: Describing Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao as anti-Dalit, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President and Nalgonda MP Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy strongly condemned the police inaction in the murder case of a Dalit youth in Mallaram village of Jayashankar- Bhupalpally district in Manthani Assembly constituency.

Uttam Kumar Reddy was speaking to the media at Lingala Ghanpur police station after he was detained by the police at Jangaon to prevent him from participating in 'Chalo Mallaram' protest march organised by TPCC Scheduled Caste Department on Sunday.

"A Dalit youth, Revuli Raja, was brutally murdered at Mallaram village on July 6 allegedly by a local TRS leader and his goons. But the local police neither investigated into the murder nor took any action against the culprits. We wanted to meet the family and also the local authorities to seek justice for the Dalit youth. But police stopped us from going to Mallaram and took into custody. This is not a democracy, but 'Police Rajyam'," he said while speaking to media persons at Lingala Ghanpur PS.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also expressed deep concern over rising atrocities against Dalits ever since TRS came to power in Telangana. He said Chief Minister KCR has been pursuing anti-Dalit policies in the State. "KCR came to power in 2014 on the promise of making a Dalit CM. He also promised three acres of land for poor Dalit families, double bedroom houses and also assured them protection and prosperity. However, Dalits are being targeted almost on a daily basis under TRS rule," he alleged.

The TPCC chief said that there was a huge rise in cases of atrocities against Dalits in Telangana. He said Dalits were being suppressed and subjected to discrimination and torture across the State. Citing instances, he said in July 2017, Dalits of Nerella were subjected to third-degree torture by the police when they objected to illegal sand mining in Sircilla. On one side, Dalits were being subjected to torture and brutality, on the other, police are not taking any action against the culprits. Instead, he alleged that the victims were being harassed further and they were being implicated in false cases.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the KCR government was not only trying to suppress the rights of Dalits in Telangana, but it was also suppressing the voice of Opposition parties when they were seeking justice for the oppressed. He strongly condemned the arrest of CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and house arrest of MLAs D Sridhar Babu and Seethakka and illegal detention of hundreds of Congress leaders and workers in Karimnagar and Jayashankar - Bhupalpally.

He said the KCR government could not stop the Congress from fighting for the rights of Dalits by foiling their protest through illegal arrest. He said that the Congress party would continue to organise mass agitation until Dalits get justice.