The Dalits in Telangana were furious over the remarks made by the managing director of a vernacular Telugu daily on Dalit Bandhu scheme. The said managing director asked the state government how can it distribute lakhs of rupees just like that to Dalits. He questioned the rationale behind the intentions of the chief minister Mr K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Mala Mahanadu general secretary Paka Satish seriously objected to the remarks and asked if the managing director is not happy with the scheme. It was aimed at the economic empowerment of Dalits in Telangana. Many turned entrepreneurs with the scheme, he pointed out. Scores of beneficiaries of various districts related their success stories and how the Dalit Bandhu helped them. Telangana Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) president Vangapalli Srinivas Madiga demanded an apology from the managing director and said the state government should book a case under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
State SC Corporation chairman Banda Srinivas warned the managing director to mend his ways and stop spitting venom on TRS government. If he resorts to unreasonable criticism once again, he will have to face the consequences. The Dalit leaders said if somebody humiliates the Dalit Bandhu scheme, they will be humiliating the Dalits as well. They have to face dire consequences for doing so. Those belonging to forward caste communities were unable to stomach the Dalit empowerment and their reaction only manifested their arrogance, the Dalit leaders said.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao