Stay away from Mudragada padayatra, Kala tells Kapus

‘Protest aimed at benefiting a political party, not community’

Energy Minister Kala Venkat Rao has urged the Kapus to keep themselves away from the padayatra of Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham. The padayatra would be beneficial to a political party but not the Kapu community, he said.

Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat on Monday, the Minister said that Mr. Padmanabham was doing gross injustice to Kapus by holding parleys with YSR Congress leaders. It was not proper on his part to support the YSR Congress, which was politicising the issue.

The YSR Congress was trying to create animosity between the Kapus and the TDP. The Kapu community should understand the wicked plans of the YSRC, he said.

‘Govt. firm on quota’

The Minister said that the TDP did not want the Kapus to be mere vote bank. The government was determined to provide reservation to Kapus, who were backward. It had already requested the Manjunatha Commission to expedite the process and submit the report at the earliest, he said.

The Kapus were benefited only during the Telugu Desam rule.

TDP national president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu allocated five out of 18 Rajya Sabha seats to Kapus in 1999.

Mr. Padmanabham was one among the five, he said, adding, “Any padayatras or agitations should be in accordance with the law of the land. It is the duty of the government to maintain law and order. The government will take decisions accordingly.”