Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu took objection to former High Court Judge V. Eswaraiah’s comments against Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
He also took jibes at YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had questioned Mr. Naidu’s commitment to the uplift of the Backward Classes.
Mr. Ramakrishnudu’s reaction came in the wake of Mr. Reddy questioning Mr. Naidu motives in opposing the appointment of BCs as Judges.
A couple of days ago, the retired Judge, who had served as Chairman of the National Commission for Backward Classes, alleged that Mr. Naidu was hostile to the BCs.
In a statement on Friday, the Minister said the comments of Mr. Eswaraiah did not match his stature.
Dig at Jagan
And basing on Mr. Eswaraiah’s observations, Mr. Reddy was making baseless allegations against the TDP and Mr. Naidu, the Minister said. The BCs got the highest number of promotions during the TDP government, Mr. Ramakrishnudu said. “It is a fact that none can alter,” he added.
BCs never got a chance in the High Court. Only those belonging to a particular caste used to get representation, he said.
“But the TDP government has appointed 9 BCs as Judges of the High Court during its rule. Mr. Eswaraiah was one among them,” he pointed out.
BCs had become Judges for 10 years only during the TDP rule. Two BCs had become CJs. In contrast, only one BC candidate could become CJ during the Congress rule, the Minister asserted.
It was unfortunate that Mr. Eswariah forgot the initiatives of the TDP government. A few women had also become Judges, and two were elevated to the post of CJ, he said.
Quota in local bodies
BCs were provided reservation in the local bodies by the Telugu Desam, the Finance Minister said. The party also passed a resolution proposing reservation to the BCs in legislatures, he added.
Former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had showed his anti-BC stance by discontinuing the Aadarana scheme, he alleged.
“The TDP government has reintroduced the scheme, and proposes to spend ₹750 crore to benefit 2.55 lakh BCs,” he said.
As many as 5.42 lakh BCs received an assistance of ₹221 crore between 1999 and 2000.
During the five-year Rajasekhara Reddy’s rule, only ₹487 crore was given as scholarship to the BCs, the Minister said.
The Rajasekhara Reddy government and other Congress governments later had spent ₹1,736 crore during the 10 years of their tenure.
But the TDP government had disbursed ₹2,963 crore towards scholarship in the last 4 years. The assistance was six times more that what the Rajasekhara Reddy government had given, the Minister averred.
