The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : APCC president stirs a hornet’s nest

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

APCC president stirs a hornet’s nest

Comment on SC classification irks Manda Krishna

Classification created rift between two powerful sub-castes: Srinivas
Telugu Desam MP asks Congress to clarify stand on SC classification

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president D. Srinivas has stirred the hornet’s nest with his remarks on Scheduled Caste classification, prompting founder president of Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) Manda Krishna to demand withdrawal of the “controversial” observations.

The APCC chief’s comments, that the progress of SCs had retarded by 25 years after the classification issue came to the fore, drew strong criticism on Saturday. Mr. Srinivas had stated on Friday that classification had divided the strong SC community and created a rift between two powerful sub-castes.

Reacting strongly to the remarks, Mr. Manda Krishna demanded that the APCC president withdraw his remarks unconditionally. Mr. Krishna said the Congress party was also responsible for the categorisation of the Backward Classes.

He said, it was unfortunate for a responsible BC leader to have remarked on the classification, when Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy was striving hard to ensure that the classification was effected in the State. “We do not know in what context the APCC president made the comment. But, we are going to meet him on Monday and seek an explanation before deciding on any agitation,” he added.

‘Media distortion’

Meanwhile, the APCC tried to play down the controversy stating that Mr. Srinivas’s remarks had been distorted by the media. Speaking to reporters, official spokespersons – Paladugu Venkata Rao, B. Kamalakar Rao and N. Tulasi Reddy -- said that the APCC president had not made any reference to Mr. Krishna. They said the Congress government was instrumental in constituting a commission headed by Usha Mehra to expedite the classification of SCs.

Telugu Desam Party MP Manda Jagannadham demanded that the Congress clarify its stand on the categorisation of Scheduled Castes on the lines of the classification given earlier to the Backward Classes.

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