TPCC chief plans "Congress for Dalits" drive to woo SCs

Hyderabad : Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that a unique initiative "Dalitulu Kosam Congress" (Congress for Dalits) would be launched soon to bring party closer to people belonging to Scheduled Castes.

Addressing 'Disha - Plenary session of TPCC SC Department' at Jayalaxmi Gardens in Secuderabad on Friday, Uttam Kumar Reddy enthralled party workers to get closer to Dalit community. He said that the Dalits and Girijans have supported the TRS in last elections as they got lured by big promises made by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao. He said KCR had promised to make a Dalit CM, three acres land for all poor Dalit families, 12% reservation for STs and many other sops.

After four years of TRS rule, Dalits and STs have realised that they have been cheated by TRS Government as none of the promises made to them have been fulfilled. He said KCR did not even give any representation to Madigas or Malas in his cabinet. Instead, he alleged that KCR has insulted Dalits on multiple occasions. He reminded of unceremonious removal of Dr. T. Rajaiah from the post of Deputy CM.

Further, he alleged that former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar was humiliated twice by the Chief Minister. KCR made objectionable remarks against Meira Kumar when she visited the victims of Nerella police torture incident in August last year. He also refused to meet her or even pick her call when she tried to meet him during Presidential elections. He said KCR did not even consider that Meira Kumar was the daughter of Babu Jagjivan Ram and she had played a key role in passing of Telangana Bill in Lok Sabha.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also slammed the TRS Government for not implementing the SC, ST Sub-Plan. He said that the previous Congress Government has implemented SC, ST Sub-Plan through legislation to ensure that funds meant for welfare of SC and ST communities are fully spent. However, he said that the TRS Government did not implement the plan. He also accused the TRS Government of adopting a discriminatory attitude towards Dalits. He said the situation for Dalits in Telangana has turned so worse that the case which was filed seeking action against police officials who tortured Dalits in Nerella incident did not came up for hearing even after three months.

He also alleged that the TRS Government was paying thousands of crores to contractors of Mission Bhagiratha and other projects to get 6% commission. However, it did not spend a single rupee on distribution of three acres land to poor Dalits. He said two Dalit youths Srinivas and Parushuram attempted suicide in Manakondur after they failed to get three acres land despite paying bribe of Rs. 40,000 to a local TRS leader. Despite one youth naming the Market Committee Chairman in his dying declaration, no case was booked against the TRS leader or the local MLA, he said.

The TPCC Chief said that there was an anti-TRS wave among Dalits and STs and therefore, Congress workers should get closer to these communities. He directed the District and Mandal-level Congress presidents to organise meetings in their areas. He announced that a weeklong 'Dalitulu-Kosam-Congress" would be organised soon. He directed the TPCC SC Department to finalise the programme at the earliest. He also said that the Leadership Development Mission in Reserved Constituencies (LDMRC) programme would be strengthened further.

He also announced that the Congress MLAs and MLCs would raise the issue of three acres of land for Dalits in the forthcoming budget session of Assembly and Council. He said that the government should allocated sufficient funds for the scheme in the coming budget or pay Rs. 15 lakh each to all eligible Dalit families.

The meeting was also addressed by AICC Secretary (Telangana Incharge) R.C. Khuntia, AICC SC Department Chairman Koppula Raju, TPCC Working President Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, TPCC SC Dept Chairman Arepally Mohan and other leaders.