SIDDIPET: The negligence of revenue officials and the interference of local ruling party leaders is said to have caused the two Dalit youth from Gudem village under Kallepally village panchayat limits in Bejjanki mandal to attempt suicide in front of the camp office of Manakondur MLA Rasamayi Balakishan.The two are currently being treated at Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad. Senior officials contended that the local officials and leaders have flouted rules in the selection of SC beneficiaries for allotment of lands in Gudem.
There are about 57 Dalit families in the village and of them, 48 applied for three-acre land distribution scheme, which the government has taken up for upliftment of Dalit community. After verifying the applications, the officials found 34 people eligible for the land distribution scheme.
Under the land purchase scheme, about 60 acres were purchased in the village at a price in the range of Rs 4-6 lakh per acre. There are allegations that local leaders interfered in the land distribution to beneficiaries and registered the land as they wanted. As per the rules, three acres of land has to be registered to each beneficiary, but the officials distributed three acres each to eight beneficiaries, two acres to some beneficiaries and one and half to some others.
Villagers said the beneficiaries questioned the officials regarding the difference in distribution of lands at that time itself and asked the officials to give equal treatment to all of them. But the officials did not take the request into consideration.Distressed with the decision of the officials, Mankala Srinivas and Yalala Parashuramulu doused themselves with petrol and attempted suicide. Internal fight between the local ruling party leaders is also a reason for the land dispute, villagers said. They said the officials organised grama sabha, but did not declare the extent of land being distributed to the beneficiaries and allotted lands to whom they wanted.
Bejjanki Tahsildar Y Srinivas speaking on the issue said that they identified 34 beneficiaries in the village. He said only eight people were allotted three acres each and the remaining were allotted between two and one and half acres. On why the beneficiaries were given different treatment, the tahsildar does not have a clear answer. He said more land will be purchased for the remaining beneficiaries. He said 1.10 acre was allotted to two youth who attempted suicide under survey no 176 on their mothers' name.
Suspended VRO Ravi said the selection of beneficiaries and allotment of land is the subject of the officials and he doesn't have any role, but despite that he was suspended.Meanwhile, Congress held dharna in Bejjanki, burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday and demanded action against the responsible officials and removal of Rasamayi Balakishan.
‘Govt protected govt reps, senior officers responsible for incident’
Karimnagar:BJP spokeperson B Raghunandan Rao alleged that it is shame for state government that attacks are taking place on dalits including torture of dalits by police. Raghunandan Rao was referring to torture of dalits in Nerella village in Rajanna-Sircilla and two Dalit youth attempted suicide incident in front of Mankondur MLA Rasamayi Balakishan's camp office. He said that in both the cases, the government axed on small employees and protected public representatives and senior officers who are responsible for the incidents.
Rao told media Tuesday that he is ready for an open debate on the two incidents and expose the mistakes of government and also highlight what BJP led NDA government has done for Dalits.
Reacting to criticism against the Centre by MP Balka Suman, the BJP leader said Suman, who is crying injustice to BCs over axing Bandaru Dattatreya from the Union cabinet, should ask the state government as to why it had removed Dalit leader T Rajaiah from Deputy CM post and why no woman was included in th state cabinet.