Centre Committed to SC Categorisation: Kishan Reddy
Kishan Reddy said that the BJP in Telangana, under the leadership of V. Ramarao, had supported SC categorisation earlier than many other political parties.
Hyderabad: Union minister for coal and mines G. Kishan Reddy highlighted the Central government’s commitment to uplift marginalised communities, citing landmark initiatives such as the conduct of a caste census alongside the national population census — the first since Independence. The minister also pointed to the Centre’s welfare initiatives, including the categorisation of SCs and provision of 5 kg of free rice per month to the poor and disadvantaged.
Speaking at the Alai Balai programme organised in honour of MRPS founder Manda Krishna Madiga on Friday, Kishan Reddy underscored the government’s efforts to address historical inequalities. He said the Union Cabinet held detailed discussions on Scheduled Caste (SC) categorisation and had sought legal opinion to present the government’s stand in the Supreme Court. He credited Krishna Madiga’s decades-long agitation for bringing national attention to the issue.
He said that the BJP in Telangana, under the leadership of V. Ramarao, had supported SC categorisation earlier than many other political parties. Recalling his own long-standing support for the movement, he described Manda Krishna Madiga as both a brother and a friend. “Despite threats and protests, I never acted against anyone on this issue,” he noted.
He also acknowledged the Central government’s recognition of Krishna Madiga’s social activism through the Padma Shri award, and praised his ongoing work for increased pensions for the differently abled and other marginalised groups.
Malkajgiri BJP MP Etala Rajendar lauded Krishna Madiga’s three-decade-long fight for justice. He also recalled how Kishan Reddy had arranged a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who later expressed public support for the cause at a major rally at Parade Ground and assured its resolution.