Hyderabad: Are Katikas say government move will hit them hard

Punjagutta: The All India Are Katika Sangh Telangana unit has lodged a complaint before the National BC Commission alleging that the government is taking away their livelihood by entering into an agreement with a private company to sell meat in the name of 'Mutton on wheels.'

The state president of All-India Are Katika Sangh, Murarikar Srinivas, alleged that the State government is taking away the livelihood of the Are Katikas, who have been in the profession of selling mutton through shops.

"State Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav recently made an announcement that the State government would start selling meat in the name of 'Telangana Mutton' and in Godavarikhani meat shops have come up in the name of Yadav Graduates Association. It is not good for the government to handover a profession of one backward community to another community," he said.

Srinivas said that the government should have brought either a corporation or federation for the Are Katikas but it is encouraging other castes to run meat shops affecting the lives of lakhs of Are Katikas in the State. He said that they have lodged a complaint to the National BC Commission against the State government's move.

Sangh general secretary M Prashanth said that they would fight legally against the initiative of the government. The government should not make the backward caste communities to indulge in fights.

The BC organisations should oppose the move because if they keep quiet now the government would hand over professions to others.

Sangh general secretary A Mallesh, Youth president Hingolikar Santosh, core committee member Rajesh, Katekar Mallikarjun, secretary Heerekar Nageshwar were also signatories in the complaint.