The Andhra Pradesh Dappu Kalaakarula Sangham (APDKS) has protested outside the Collectorate here on Monday demanding identity cards for ‘dappu’ artists. The protesters came in a rally from the Ambedkar Bhavan playing ‘dappu’ to the Collectorate.
Speaking with The Hindu , vice-president of the union M.D. Anand Babu said there were about 1,000 identity card applications pending with the government, and demanded that the cards be issued immediately.
He claimed that there were about 20,000 dappu artists in Kurnool district, but only 200 cards were given. “The card distribution happened in 2013,” he said. Without identity cards, the artists were not eligible for any welfare schemes. “It is also a matter of self-respect to be identified as a dappu artist,” he added. The protesters also demanded that the government reopen the application process for pensions. They wanted pension to be increased to ₹5,000 from ₹3,000.
