Danapuram (Andhra Pradesh), June 20 (Language) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Adoni constituency of Andhra Pradesh PV Parthasarathy has been accused of insulting the Dalit Sarpanch of Danapuram village in Kurnool district.
The Sarpanch has lodged a complaint with the police.
Parthasarathy was on a tour to Danapuram on Monday and the alleged incident took place while overseeing the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission program at a temple complex here.
A video circulated on social media shows Sarpanch Chandrashekhar being called to the stage by Parthasarathy in the temple complex. However, when he did not come, Parthasarathy called him three-four times and then asked if he was a Christian and therefore hesitant to come on stage.
The video then shows the local woman leader of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) whispering in the MLA’s ear that the sarpanch belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC), after which the MLA gestured to the sarpanch and asked him to stand on the ground in front of the stage.
The MLA’s act is being criticised as caste-based discrimination.
On the controversy that erupted after the video surfaced, the MLA said he had only asked about the chairman’s religion as he “seemed reluctant to step on the temple platform”.
“I called him to stand with me. He was hesitant, so I asked if he belonged to another religion…,” Parthasarathy told reporters.
Meanwhile, the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Yuvajana Sramika Raithu Congress Party (YSRCP) condemned the MLA’s behaviour and accused the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of “blatant caste discrimination”.
“Naidu, why is there so much hatred towards Scheduled Castes in your alliance?” the YSRCP questioned in a post on social media platform ‘X’.
Similarly, the Human Rights Forum (HRF) condemned the BJP MLA for failing to prevent the public “humiliation” of a Dalit sarpanch during a Jal Jeevan Mission programme.
It claimed, “The TDP leader blocked the way of the sarpanch citing his caste.” The HRF demanded action against the BJP MLA and the TDP leader under the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and warned of protests if this was not done.
Courtesy: Dheeraj, Hindi News