Intellectuals and leaders from several political parties on Sunday called for unity among the Backward Classes, who comprised about 57 per cent of the country’s population.
Nothing will make the so-called upper classes recognise the right of the BCs, said V. Hanumantha Rao, T. Devender Goud, MPs, K. Laxman, MLA, at a BC Intellectuals conference on ‘Development Agenda for BCs in Telangana’ organised by the Institute for the Empowerment of Backward Classes (IEBCs) here.
Mr. Hanumantha Rao asked all those working to empower BCs to go out into the districts and improve awareness levels. He mentioned Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s promises at the centenary celebrations of Konda Lakshman Bapuji on Saturday and said people should be told more about the life and ideals of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Konda Lakshman Bapuji.
Access to educationMr. Laxman said empowerment of BCs would take place only when they were uplifted with better access to education. “Unfortunately, the TRS government has not come up with any clarity on the fee reimbursement scheme, which benefitted most BC students. Even though Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao says the State belonged to the weaker sections -- Scheduled Castes and Tribes, BCs and minorities -- there is nothing by way of concrete action. “I demand a special BC sub-plan budget because only when they are given an allocation proportionate to their population will they be empowered,” he said.
True empowermentEarlier, Chairman of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Forum (ABCDE) K. Murali Manohar explained that in the morning session senior journalists such as Tankashala Ashok, Akhileswari and I. Tirumali of Delhi University, outlined what they felt was required to truly empower BCs in Telangana.
P.L. Visweshwar Rao, spokesperson of Aam Aadmi Party, said development actually meant ending feudalism and that the youngest State in India suffered from it. On several development indicators it was behind most other States, with 35 per cent of Telangana’s population not having access to electrical power and the new State being at the 25th place in India, with regard to toilets. In a press release, President of the National BCs Welfare Association, R. Krishnaiah said all steps should be taken for 50 per cent reservation in Assemblies and Parliament and that all State Legislative Assemblies should pass a resolution to this effect.
