Harish Rao Says BRS Will Fight for Tribal Rights

Siddipet:BRS deputy floor leader T. Harish Rao has alleged that the Congress government failed to fulfil its promises to the tribal communities and that the BRS would raise their issues in the assembly.

The former minister was speaking at the inauguration of the Siddipet chapter of the Tribal Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a tribal entrepreneurs’ awareness seminar in Siddipet on Wednesday.

Harish Rao said the Congress manifesto had promised Rs 10,000 for students who passed Class 10 and `2 lakh for those pursuing postgraduate studies, but the promises had not been implemented.

He said the government had told the assembly, in response to questions from the BRS, that `2,730 crore had been allocated to the ST Corporation, while he found that only `70 crore had been spent.

Harish Rao said the Congress government had come to power promising land titles for SCs and STs but was now taking over more than one lakh acres of assigned land, leaving poor families landless. He alleged that Lambada tribals in Lagacharla, who refused to surrender their lands, were being jailed and subjected to third-degree treatment.

He also alleged that tribal lands were being transferred to Revanth Reddy’s brother Kondal Reddy and his son-in-law Satya.

Harish Rao said that although ST-SDF funds had been included in the budget, even half of the allocated amount was not being spent. He also alleged that the promised job calendar had not resulted in employment opportunities for tribal youth.

He said organisations such as TICCI should support tribal youth and also function as pressure groups to hold the government accountable.

The former minister urged TICCI to work towards securing pending subsidies and said the BRS, as the principal Opposition party in the assembly, would continue to fight for tribal rights.

Harish Rao said the BRS government, under the leadership of K Chandrashekar Rao, had provided hundreds of crores of rupees in subsidies to promote tribal entrepreneurship