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‘Balijas should be recognised as a separate community’
Former TTD Board member says Balija community losing out by being clubbed with Kapus
- Former TTD Board member says Balija community losing out by being clubbed with Kapus
- Accuses Kapu community of using Balijas to further their own interests
- Gives a call to Balija community across State to unite under the auspices ‘of Balija United Front’
Tirupati: Combining the Balija community with Kapus would come in the way of the social, economic and political growth of the Balija community, said former TTD trust board member OV Ramana. Speaking to the media on Sunday, he sought the government and political parties to recognise Balijas as a separate entity.
He exhorted the members of his community to come together under `Balija United Front (BUF)’ and sail independently, which he said, was the best option for the Balijas and their development. “All these years, the Balijas cloaked under Kapus have been left in the lurch and it was they (Kapus) who benefitted by tagging us with them even though Balijas constitute 14-17 percent in the population of 21 percent of Kapus(including Balija, Telaga and Ontari who are commonly called as Kapus), he said.
The Balijas population was more in number in Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, Nellore and Prakasam districts and the community was decisive in as many as 72 Assembly segments along with other sub-sects of Kapus in the State but only two MLAs (Chittoor and Tirupati) are from the community, he said and stressed on the need for Balijas to sever ties with the Kapus. Plans were afoot to unite Balijas to press political parties and the government to recognise them as a separate community, said Ramana, adding that Balija meetings were already held in Kadapa and Tirupati towards this objective.
Responding to a query, he said that clubbing Balijas with the Kapus would result in delay of including Balijas in the BC category. He said the Munnur Kapus of Telangana and Turpu Kapus of North Coastal Andhra could get BC status only after disassociating themselves from the Kapus.
“Balijas are being used as pawns in the hands of powerful Kapus and our future would remain bleak as long as we are tagged with Kapus. Actually, it was Kapu leaders like Venkateswara Rao and many others who had benefitted with Balijas being considered as Kapus,” said Ramana.
