The Hindu : Rajakas' State meet begins today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 12, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Nalgonda

Rajakas' State meet begins today

By Our Staff Reporter

NALGONDA, FEB.11. The stage is set for the first State conference of the Andhra Pradesh Rajaka Vruttidarula Sangham, which is fighting for the cause of washermen, to be held in Khammam on February 12 and 13.

The sangham's State president, Konduru Satyanarayana, said on Wednesday that it would organise a rally from Nayabazar college in the afternoon and hold a public meeting at Pavilion grounds in the evening to highlight the plight of their community. Seminars and meetings would be held on February 13 to review and discuss the problems in detailed.

Calling upon rajakas to participate in the two-day conference in a big way, he said that it would be a good opportunity for them to look at various problems being faced in their day-to-day life in villages. He said that many washermen had switched over to other professions in the face of severe drought conditions.

"Tanks and wells have dried up. Being denied the traditional mera (food grains or amount) by the employers, washermen are migrating to towns in search of work. There is no protection for us from the Government side,'' Mr. Satyanarayana said. On the other hand, he maintained that there was a rise in atrocities and attacks against washermen.

Mr. Satyanarayana demanded that the Government construct dobhi ghats in villages and provide water facility free of cost. Rajakas should be given full rights on the designated tanks and chakirevu lands and the Government should also bring in a special legislation for the benefit of washermen, he added. He also said that about 400 delegates from all the districts would participate in the seminars and meetings.

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