Dalits, Girijans feeling unsafe under TRS, BJP regimes: Congress

Hyderabad : Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that Dalits and Girijans were feeling unsafe under PM Narender Modi and CM KCR's regimes.

Addressing a day long hunger strike camp at party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan in Nampally as part of nationwide protest organised by the Congress party on Monday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that both Telangana and Central Governments have failed to provide security to SCs, STs and other vulnerable sections. He informed that the hunger strike was organised on the directions of Congress president Rahul Gandhi who himself participated in the protest at Raj Ghat in Delhi.

Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed concern over the recent remarks of Supreme Court which advises changes in the SC, ST Atrocities Act. He said the SC verdict would weaken the law that assures Dalits and Girijans against any kind of atrocities. He alleged that the Central Government did not defend the law in the Supreme Court in a proper manner and it caused a deliberate delay in filing a review petition which forced thousands of Dalits to come out on streets in protest. He said the protest has claimed several lives across the country.

The TPCC chief alleged that there has been a rise in incidents of atrocities against Dalits and Girijans after Narender Modi became Prime Minister four years ago. He said such incidents were also reported from PM's constituency too. He also alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao too has been cheating the Dalit community ever since he came to power. He said KCR's oath as the Chief Minister itself was a big cheating to Dalits. He reminded that KCR, during elections, had promised to make a Dalit the first Chief Minister of Telangana. But after coming to power, KCR changed his stance and himself took oath as the Chief Minister. Similarly, he said KCR had promised to sign the first file to provide 12% reservation for Tribals. Other promises like providing three acres of land for Dalits and STs and double bed room houses remained unfulfilled, he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that KCR Government has been humiliating and harassing the Dalit communities since day one. He said a Dalit MLA Dr. T. Rajaiah was removed from the post of Deputy CM in the most unceremonious manner. He said present cabinet of CM KCR does not have representation of either Madiga or Mala, the two dominant SC communities. He said the incidents of torture of Dalits in Sircilla at the instance of sand mafia, suicide attempt by two Dalits youths in Manakondur, brutal murder of a Dalit youth in Manthani, the gang rape of a Dalit girl or implication of STs in false cases in Khammam are some of the incidents that instilled fear among all Dalits. He said KCR would be remembered in history for expelling a Dalit MLA A. Sampath Kumar from the Assembly for committing no offence. He said TRS Government and Speaker have failed to file their counter in the High Court against the suspension of two Congress MLAs Sampath Kumar and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.

The TPCC chief said that the TRS Government has also failed to provide reservation to SCs and STs in proportion to their population.

AICC Telangana Incharge Secretary R.C. Khuntia, Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Dr. N. Raghuveera Reddy, K. Jana Reddy, Shabbir Ali, Renuka Chowdhary, M.A. Khan, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, V. Hanumantha Rao and other senior leaders participated in the hunger strike.

Later in the evening, former union minister Sarve Satyanarayana offered juice to Uttam Kumar Reddy to break the day-long hunger strike.