The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has criticised Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for his “tall claims” on the empowerment of backward class communities over the past three-and-a-half years and noted that a majority of the assurances showered on these communities remained on paper.
The government had failed to take concrete steps to implement the assurances it made to the BCs and most backward classes.
The plight of the MBCs comprising some nomadic groups, remained pathetic in spite of budgetary allocation of ₹1,000 crore for them.
“The government has no doubt allocated funds. But nothing has been spent on ground till date,” CPI (M) State secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram said.
Mr. Veerabhadram who briefed reporters about the party’s state secretariat meeting here on Wednesday alleged that the government was not forthcoming on putting in place a sub-plan for the BCs on the lines of SCs and STs.
“The Chief Minister maintains silence on the demand for categorisation of the backward classes which would enable members from the most backward classes to contest for posts in the local bodies,” the Left party leader said. The government was equally “indifferent” on the repeated requests made for a legislation to prevent atrocities against the most backward classes while it was now harping on removing the creamy layer among BCs from availing the benefits. The assurance on providing ₹8,000 as input assistance for two crops too was aimed at benefiting the land owners, not the tenant farmers who were cultivating the lands.
He said the party’s state secretariat also discussed about the efforts to form a political alternative in the State. Discussions were on with the Left parties on the proposed alternative while several other individuals and political parties had evinced keen interest in joining the proposed front which would seek alternative policies on economic, agriculture and other fronts.
