‘BCs fighting for self-respect’

Nalgonda: People belonging to backward classes have been fighting for their self-respect, R Krishnaiah, president of Backward Classes Welfare Association asserted here on Sunday. He was addressing the Backward Classes sarpanches meeting which was also attended by TDP senior leader Devendar Goud, Alair MLA Bhikshmaiah Goud, Legislative Council deputy chairman Neti Vidyasagar, MLC Poola Ravindar, BJP leader Lakshman and newly elected sarpanches belonging to backward classes and BC leaders of various parties.

R Krishnaiah said that grave injustice has been meted out to the backward classes throughout the country. He demanded constitutional guarantee for backward classes in the legislature. Expressing concern over the poor representation of backward classes in the legislature, he said that of the 2300 castes in the country only 50 castes were being represented in various legislatures throughout the country.

Children of about 1100 castes were not in a position to get admission in the schools, he lamented. The BC leader demanded that the cheque power should be entirely given to the sarpanches. He had already approached the chief minister in this respect but there was no response from him, he said.

Expressing concern over the poor salaries paid to the sarpanches, he said that while the MLAs and MPS were drawing several lakhs of rupees as salaries, the sarpanches were being paid paltry amount. “The sarpanches should be paid Rs. 20,000 per month,” he demanded.

Lambasting the political parties for extending party tickets to the industrialists, businessmen, realtors and rowdy sheeters, Krishnaiah said that tickets were not being given to the backward class leaders though they form majority in various constituencies.

He warned of a massive agitation if the BC leaders were not given party tickets as per the ratio of the population. The party offices would be targeted if they continue to give tickets to the rich, he said. Devendar Goud said that the backward classes would wield the power if all the sub-castes were united following the ideology of Jyotiba Phule.