The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Manda Krishna Madiga stages sit-in with MRPS workers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 12, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Manda Krishna Madiga stages sit-in with MRPS workers

Special Correspondent

Says he will stay put till today morning Says he will stay put till today morning

Serves ultimatum to the Government to announce the date of all-party team's visit to Delhi
TDP leader Kadiyam Srihari and BJP MLA G. Kishan Reddy joined the MRPS workers

YSR and Venkataswamy accused of scuttling efforts for categorisation

SHOW OF STRENGTH: A view of the MRPS rally in Hyderabad on Saturday. Photo: Mohd. Yousuf.

HYDERABAD: The Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) founder president, Manda Krishna Madiga, on Saturday night served an ultimatum allowing 12 hours for the Government to announce the date on which an all-party delegation would go to Delhi to persuade Central leadership on the Scheduled Caste sub-categorisation.

He announced his decision to stay put with his followers at the sprawling Nizam college grounds till Sunday morning awaiting Government decision on the delegation. Responding to the call thousands of MRPS workers refused to vacate the venue of the public meeting.

Till reports last came in TDP leader Kadiyam Srihari and BJP MLA G. Kishan Reddy also joined the MRPS workers. The Minister for Municipal Administration, Koneru Ranga Rao, and the Congress MP, Nandi Yellaiah, who also attended the meeting, left the place assuring the agitated MRPS leaders that they would get back with some reply.

Blames YSR

Mr. Manda Krishna was addressing an impressive public meeting here after completing 1,500-km `Madiga Dharma Yuddha Maha padayatra' from Bangalore to the State capital spanning 55 days. He accused the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, and the veteran Congress leader, G. Venkatswamy, of scuttling the efforts of MRPS to seek sub-categorisation. He questioned why Dr. Reddy failed to persuade the Centre to introduce a bill in Parliament on sub-categorisation. He lashed out at the media for ignoring the struggle of the MRPS. The Maoists and Janashakti leaders also drew flak for not spelling out their stand on sub-categorisation.

The Municipal Administration Minister, the Minister for Lift Irrigation, M. Mareppa, and Mr. Nandi Yellaiah said that the Congress Government was committed to sub-categorisation. The MRPS cadre who raised slogans against the Chief Minister booed Mr. Mareppa. The TDP MP, M. Jaganatham, wanted a bill to be introduced in Parliament during the monsoon session. Earlier, a huge rally was taken out from Indira Park to Nizam college grounds where the public meeting was organised.

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