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SC.ST.News no 1.

TELANGANA

With 17% of population, parties vie for Dalit votes

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 13, 2023

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Hyderabad: With Dalits constituting over 17% of the state population, they can decide the fate of candidates in unreserved assembly seats too. In light of the key role they will play, major parties are going all out to woo Dalits.

While the Congress has already announced 12-point SC, ST Declaration recently, the BJP is trying to get the support of Madigas with PM Narendra Modi attending a meeting of Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS).

The BRS claims chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is a champion for the cause of Dalits and has implemented schemes like Dalit Bandhu. The party leaders have been listing out welfare measures being taken for SCs such as installation of 125ft BR Ambedkar statue and naming of new secretariat after Ambedkar.

With the Dalit Bandhu gaining traction, Congress announced 12 lakh to SC and ST families. The party announced enhancement of SC and ST reservations to 18% and 12% respectively, reservations in government contracts, new ITDAs, creation of SC corporati-ons and 6 lakh to each family for construction of house.

BJP decided to woo Madigas, which are majority in Telangana. PM Narendra Modi responded positively on SC categorisation demand.

“In the past 10 years, the BRS addressed every issue of Dalits like financial assistance, setting up of residential schools, and encouraging Dalit entrepreneurs. The state government has increased budget for SC development,” Mallepalli Laxmaiah, chairperson of Centre for Dalit Studies, Hyderabad, told STOI.

Political analyst Sasam Venkatesh said Dalits were with Congress till mid-1990s. He said a section of Madigas shifted loyalty to TDP after the party took decision in favour of SC categorisation. But Malas remained with Congress. “After state formation, a majority are with BRS due to schemes,” he said.

Modi ‘peddanna’ of Madigas: MRPSDuring an event in Hyderabad, Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi chief Manda Krishna Madiga became emotional while speaking about the treatment of his Madiga community. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for being the only leader to understand their cause and attend the public meeting. Madiga also mentioned that Modi appointed a tribal woman as President of India and a backward community candidate as chief minister of Telangana. He assured Modi of the Madiga community’s support in the elections and asked his workers to show solidarity with the PM. Two Union ministers from the Dalit community also participated in the event.105158657

BRS, Congress & INDIA bloc anti-Dalit, says PM in TelanganaPrime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the BRS, Congress, and India, calling them anti-Dalit. He cited Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s actions against Dalit leaders and expressed his support for social justice. Modi also pledged to rectify historical injustices and promised to address the demand for sub-categorization of scheduled castes. This announcement may have broader implications for the national discourse on reservations and the categorization of SCs, sparking a debate that has simmered for decades. The concept of sub-categorization emerged in 1975 but has faced legal challenges.105158393

Telangana BJP plans Dalit Ratna to counter BRS sopThe BJP’s Telangana unit is preparing to launch their manifesto, which will include a scheme called Dalit Ratna to counter the BRS Dalit Bandhu. The party aims to focus on making youth job creators rather than job seekers. The manifesto will also incorporate various initiatives of the central government for Dalits and other components. The BJP aims to ensure that Dalits will receive the promised benefits and that all schemes will be implemented. The manifesto is currently being reviewed and follows the party’s set norms across states.104995722

Courtesy : TOI

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