The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Praja Rajyam chief woos Dalits

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Sunday, Dec 07, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Praja Rajyam chief woos Dalits

R. Avadhani

Chiranjeevi partakes in community lunch with villagers in Medak district

Photo: MOHD. ARIF

Saviour of sorts: Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi at the ‘saha pankthi bhojanam’ on the occasion of Ambedkar Vardhanthi at a village in Medak district. –

Singannagudem (Medak district): Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi has said that he would be different from others in achieving social justice for the oppressed classes. Addressing a gathering before participating in the community lunch arranged with the villagers on Saturday, he said, “the community lunch organised here is the beginning of our long journey towards achieving the goal of social justice. Even a thousand miles journey begins with a single step and this was one such step.”

‘Different’ leader

Assuring that he was a far cry from the existing politicians, he said, “if I behave like other political party leaders, there will be no difference between me and them. I want to be different. I want to achieve social justice for the Dalits by following the path shown by Ambedkar,” he said amidst applause.

Referring to the conditions being faced by Dalits in villages even today when they are forced to clean the glasses in which they had tea, Mr. Chiranjeevi asked: “In what type of society are we residing. Is this the hi-tech development that we have been claiming?”

He urged the people to extend support for him to put his words into action.

Iron curtain

For the first time, probably, after Chiranjeevi started moving in public as a political leader, firm iron curtains were put up for the community lunch programme, which was arranged behind the public meeting area. Very limited and selected people were allowed inside. Septuagenarians Ramavva and Lachavva sat on either side of Chiranjeevi and had their lunch. The purpose of the programme was ‘to send a strong message to people that the PR was really committed to uplift of Dalits.

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