Nuzvid (Eluru district): Information and public relations and housing minister Kolusu Parthasarathy said the coalition government is giving special priority to the welfare, protection and development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Andhra Pradesh.
Participating in a Dalit Reform Meeting held at Dr B R Ambedkar Centre in Nuzvid on Tuesday, the minister paid floral tributes to the statue of B R Ambedkar and remembered Dalits who allegedly suffered injustice during the previous YSRCP government.
As part of the programme, the minister and participants held placards and lit candles in memory of Dalit victims who, according to him, were subjected to injustice during the earlier regime.
Addressing the gathering, Parthasarathy described the previous five-year YSRCP rule as a “dark phase” for Dalits. He alleged that many Dalits were subjected to severe hardships and humiliation during that period.
He referred to the case of Dalit doctor Dr Sudhakar, stating that despite rendering medical services for several decades and earning a good reputation, he was mentally harassed and driven to a tragic end during the previous government.
He also mentioned the death of Dalit youth Veedhi Subrahmanyam, alleging that he was brutally assaulted and killed.
The Minister claimed that the postmortem report showed multiple injury marks on the victim’s body and criticised the handling of the incident by leaders of the previous regime.
Parthasarathy said the NDA coalition government, under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and IT minister Nara Lokesh, with the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is committed to ensuring inclusive development and social justice in the state.
He alleged that during the previous YSRCP government, SC communities were denied proper welfare benefits and political importance.
According to him, funds and welfare measures meant for Scheduled Castes were diverted, and several sections of society faced oppression and neglect.
The Minister stated that the present NDA government is working with commitment towards the empowerment and comprehensive welfare of SC communities. He also said that every poor person in the constituency would be protected and supported “like the apple of his eye.”
Criticising the opposition, Parthasarathy said the YSRCP, which was reduced to only 11 Assembly seats, had failed to learn lessons from the people’s verdict and continued to make baseless allegations against the coalition government.
Public representatives, coalition leaders, youth representatives, SC organisation leaders, local residents and members of SC communities participated in the programme.
Courtesy : THI
Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehansindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights