Hyderabad: The Babu Jagjivan Ram and Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations in Telangana, scheduled to be held on April 5 and April 14 has led to a tussle between TS and Dalit organisations.
Trouble started when TS appointed finance minister Etela Rajender, a BC leader, as head of the TS organising panel for these fete on March 31, and issued a GO to this effect.
Dalit organisations opposed the appointment of a non-Dalit to head the committee to celebrate Babu Jagjivan Ram and Ambedkar Jayanti celebrations in Telangana. They said this has never been the case. They even burnt copies of the GO in all district and mandal headquarters stating that it was an insult to the Dalit community to celebrate the birth anniversaries of two Dalit stalwarts of the country under the supervision of a committee headed by a non-Dalit, that too for the first time in Telangana state.
Dalit organisations are divided in supporting the ruling TRS government over the issue.
Madiga leader Manda Krishna Madiga has given an ultimatum to the TS government to drop Mr Etela from the committee, or the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti will intensify statewide agitations against the government.
Mr Manda Krishna, who has substantial clout in the Dalit community, is a strong critic of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao ever since he assumed office in June last year.
He has been building up a movement against Mr Rao in TS alleging that he had betrayed the Dalits by denying the CM’s post to a Dalit as promised during elections. He has also been criticising Mr Rao for sacking Deputy CM T. Rajaiah, a Dalit, on allegations of corruption, while sparing ministers from upper castes who are facing more severe graft allegations.
“The decision to appoint Mr Rajender to head the committees shows the disregard of KCR towards Dalits. He promised a Dalit as CM but ditched them. Currently, there is no representation of Dalits in his Cabinet. He is now inflicting further wounds on the self-respect of Dalits,” Mr Manda Krishna said.
