VIJAYAWADA: The BC leaders are up in arms against the Andhra Pradesh Government for its assurance to accord BC status to the Kapu community. They said they would oppose the move tooth and nail and would teach a lesson to all political parties that betrayed the BCs.
The leaders of nearly 90 BC communities met here in Vijayawada on Tuesday to voice their strong opposition. “On what criteria does State Government plan to include Kapus among the BCs? Are they socially and economically backward? Don’t they have a powerful political presence?” asked Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Welfare Association president R Krishnaiah.
He reminded that such attempts to include Jats in the OBC category had backfired and the Apex Court had struck down the decision.
“Though there are several parameters to decide if a caste is eligible for being included in BCs, two important parameters that need to be satisfied e most are the ratio of the caste in the total population and secondly their development in the fields of education, employment and economy. In case of Kapus, none of those parameters are satisfied,” he explained.
Though a TDP MLA in neighbouring Telangana, he was trenchantly critical of the TDP government’ss stance and demanded an open debate on the issue. Referring to the argument that there were poor people among the Kapus, he said inclusion in the BC list cannot be a poverty alleviation programme.
Echoing similar sentiments, other BC leaders criticsed the ruling and the Opposition parties for indulging in vote bank politics. They said the BCs, who make 54 per cent of the total population, can make or mar any party’s future. Several leaders opined that BC vote should go for BC parties alone and underscored the need for BC-based party as in Tamil Nadu, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
The BCs have decided to hold massive public meetings in Vijayawada, Kakinada, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Anantapur, Kurnool and other places to highlight the problems of the BCs. Meanwhile, a BC activist made a self immolation bid at the meeting by pouring petrol on himself. However, onlookers immediately rushed him to the hospital.