Utter chaos prevailed with slogan-shouting, drumbeats, whistling and vociferous protests at the public hearing conducted by the A.P. Commission for Backward Classes Chairman, Justice K.L. Manjunatha, in the Zilla Parishad conference hall on Monday. With no semblance of order for over two hours despite repeated appeals by the Commission, Justice Manjunatha adjourned the hearing.
BJP leader and BC Samkshema Sangham president N. Srinivasulu, BC, SC, ST and Minority Vidyarthi Samakhya State president J. Lakshmi Narasimha, BC JAC convenor Anna Ramachandraiah, TDP leader and Kulala Aikya Vedika leader Patnam Rajeswari and BC Janasabha leaders T. Seshaphani and Makam Nagaraju vociferously opposed the inclusion of Balija, Kapu, Ontari, Telaga and Velama castes in the BC list.
Slogans raised
Earlier, the leaders and members of the organisations rallied to the ZP carrying placards opposing the BC status for Balija, Kapu and other communities. Balijas and Kapus were developed financially, politically, educationally and employment-wise, they asserted and accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of playing caste politics by pitting one community against the other.
The Chief Minister had promised to proportionately enhance the quota for BCs, but was trying to include upper castes in the BC list and thereby mete out injustice to BCs, they alleged. BCs, who constitute 50 per cent of the population, were meted out a raw deal and crores of rupees were being spent through the Kapu Corporation for the forward caste, they alleged.
Mr. Justice Manjunatha repeatedly appealed for maintaining peace and assured in his keynote address that the Commission had been making efforts to recommend better facilities for the BCs. It was assessing the social and educational backwardness of the BCs and explore means to implement reservations in a scientific manner.
Sixty-four communities filed petitions before the Commission seeking inclusion in the BC list, Mr. Justice Manjunatha said. He assured that the Commission would not render injustice to the BCs.
As the din continued unabated, A. Ravikrishna, SP, Kurnool DSP D.V. Ramana Murthy and several circle-inspectors and sub-inspectors tried in vain to pacify the protesters. It resulted in the Commission adjourning the public hearing.
