The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Scuffle between BC leaders dominates panel hearing

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Saturday, Aug 11, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Scuffle between BC leaders dominates panel hearing

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: A scuffle between Backward Class leaders dominated the second day’s proceedings of the public hearing taken up by the State Backward Classes Commission here on Friday to consider inclusion of four castes in the State list of BCs.

Incidentally, the four castes – Kapu, Telaga, Balija and Ontari – whose inclusion in the list was opposed by BC organisations received support from an unexpected quarter. State BC Welfare Association president R. Krishnaiah threw his weight behind these castes but leaders of other BC organisations took exception to his stand by writing an article and issuing press releases in various Telugu dailies on Friday.

A large number of men and women supporting Mr. Krishnaiah created a scene after storming the hall where the hearing took place.

They obstructed the proceedings until the arrival of the police.

The police led by Central Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police S. Md. Iqbal chased away the mob.

On resumption of proceedings, Mr. Krishnaiah took on U. Sambasiva Rao and N. Shamal Rao, BC leaders who criticised him in newspapers. They charged towards each other and made wild gestures. Mr. Sambasiva Rao was heard warning Mr. Krishnaiah to hold his tongue.

Commission member V. Krishna Mohan Rao intervened at this stage to reprimand Mr. Sambasiva Rao. Addressing the participants after tempers cooled down, Mr. Krishnaiah justified his support to the four castes saying it was part of a strategy. He wanted his rivals to stop opposing the castes that sought BC status and instead strive for hike in the reservation quota for BCs from 25 to 50 per cent.

This would help backward sections among upper castes like Brahmins, Reddys and Velamas also to avail reservations.

Later, Mr. Sambasiva Rao said he stood by the article published by him in a daily. He did not approve of the commission member’s intervention during the clash against Mr. Krishnaiah as their row related to an extraneous issue.

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