VISAKHAPATNAM: Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao promised a job for tonsuring victim P Srikanth. Srinivasa Rao visited Srikanth's house at Giriprasad Colony at Sujathanagar in Pendurthi and enquired about the incident. He assured them of all support from the government. The minister also handed over a cheque for Rs 50,000 given by MLA Adeep Raj to Srikanth.
Speaking to mediapersons, Srinivasa Rao said Srikanth was subjected to torture on charge of stealing a cell phone. Condemning the attack on the youth, he said the police arrested the accused within 24 hours. He also stated that he would try to get an outsourcing job for Srikanth.
The minister said that steps will be taken so that such incidents do not recur in the State. He reiterated that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has been implementing several welfare schemes for the uplift of downtrodden and weaker sections.
Later, speaking to mediapersons at the party office, MLA Adeep Raj said the police acted swiftly and arrested seven persons, including the wife of Nutan Naidu in connection with the tonsure of Dalit youth within a few hours of the incident and asserted that immediate action would be taken in the cases of atrocities against SCs and STs in the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
The MLA said TDP and Jana Sena are silent over the issue as film director Nutan Naidu is closely associated with both the parties. TDP has been trying to politicise the issue by making propaganda that Nutan Naidu is associated with YSRC. “We have no connection with Nutan Naidu and action will be taken against him if his involvement is proved in the incident,” he said.
The MLA said in addition to the financial assistance, a house site and a job will be provided to the Dalit youth. The MLA asserted that action will be taken against anyone who commits the crime irrespective of party affiliations, caste and religion.
The MLA flayed Chandrababu Naidu for shedding crocodile tears for Dalits and reminded the incident in which a Dalit woman was beaten and stripped at Jerripothulapalem in Pendurthi during the TDP rule. He said Pawan Kalyan was silent over the issue because Nutan Naidu is a close associate of their family.
Arrest of Nutan Naidu demanded
VISAKHAPATNAM: Leaders of Dalit and people’s organisations on Sunday demanded the immediate arrest of Big Boss fame Nutan Naidu in connection with the tonsuring case. They staged a dharna at the Gandhi statue in the city condemning the incident. Dalit Vimukti convener S Venkataramana said it was atrocious that the youth was subjected to torture on allegation of stealing a cell phone.
VS Krishna of HRF, in a statement, said tonsuring was a repugnant caste atrocity often committed to humiliate Dalits, who stand up for their rights and seek to assert their dignity as human beings. The Pendurthi case in which a Dalit youth was tonsured, should be pursued vigorously so that all those who committed this odious crime are convicted, he said.