Uttam promises to resolve Tribal issues

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Congress party, after coming to power in 2019 elections, would resolve the problems being faced by Tribals in the State on priority basis.

Addressing a meeting organised by Lambada Hakkula Porata Samithi (LHPS) in Vijaya Vihar Sagar at Nagarjunasagar on Sunday, Uttam Kumar Reddy recalled the active role played by the Tribals in the statehood struggle. He said despite giving several sacrifices, Tribals failed to get justice in the new State and they continue to face neglect by the present TRS regime. He said STs traditionally supported the Congress party. But in 2014 elections, the Tribals got lured by tall promises of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and voted in favour of TRS expecting a better life in the new State. However, all their dreams got shattered as KCR regime listed the community in non-priority list.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the members of Scheduled Tribes (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. Despite promising 12% quota in jobs and education, KCR did nothing to increase the quota even by 1% during the last three-and-a-half years. Similarly, he said that the promise of upgrading Tribal Thandas into Gram Panchayats also remained unfulfilled.

The TPCC Chief also pointed out that the TRS Government has failed to constitute SC, ST Commissions even after three years. He said TRS Government weakened the mechanism which was in existence to deal with the issues concerning Dalits and Tribals. He said Tribals, who out rightly supported TRS in last elections, were let down by KCR and his government. He said there was a rise in atrocities on Tribals 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 said that the TRS Government did not create any opportunities for economic development of Tribals. He said the State Government failed to set up the steel plant at Bayyaram in Mahabubabad district which could have provided jobs to hundreds of Tribals. Similarly, he said that the TRS 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. He said Tribals did not enjoy any benefit of the new State.

Stating that the Tribals would soon give a massive shock to TRS, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Congress party was all set to return to power in Telangana in 2019 elections. He said all sections of the society, especially Tribals, have announced their support to the Congress party. He promised that after coming to power, Congress Government would undo the injustices done to the Tribals during TRS regime.

The meeting was also addressed by Congress Legislature Party leader K. Jana Reddy, LPHS leader Bellaiah Nayak, ex-MLA Julakanti Ranga Reddy of CPI (M) and other leaders.