Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that untouchability is still prevalent even after 75 years of independence but with a new face. Untouchability doesn’t mean mere physical distancing but disinterest and unwillingness to give a hand-holding to the oppressed people as well, he added.
The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government during its 56-month-rule left no stone unturned to thwart this kind of mindset of ‘ pettandarlu’ (ruling class), he said referring to the previous government and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was addressing a public meeting organised at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) stadium here on the occasion of unveiling of Dr. B R Ambedkar statue at Swaraj Maidan on Friday.
Striking a chord with the SCs, STs, BCs, and minorities, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy suggested that they should compare the tireless efforts of the present government and the previous TDP government. Development in all spheres, particularly health, education, governance, and self-reliance, could be seen in the State, which the ‘pettamdarlu’ did not want to happen, he said.
Many innovative and revolutionary steps and programmes were taken up to uplift the SCs, STs, BCs, and minorities. They were accorded priority in every step by the government, including politically. Four Deputy Chief Ministers and 60% of Cabinet posts were filled with them. In Zilla Parishads, municipalities, corporations, market committees, Rajya Sabha seats, etc. they got the lion’s share, which was not the case during the previous government, he said.
Administrative reforms
The government brought in village/ward secretariats, and volunteer system to bring administration closer to people. It was a step towards a governance free of corruption and discrimination. ‘‘Pensions are being distributed at the doorstep (by the present government) while earlier pensioners used to die in long queues waiting during the Janmabhoomi programmes of the TDP government. The Rythu Bharosa Kendras, Nadu-Nedu in schools and hospitals, family doctor concept, filing up of 56,000 posts in the Health Department, tabs to school children etc. speak volumes about development. The change, development and progress could be seen in every village from Kuppam to Ichchapuram. This is your government that has brought in a positive change in lives. Think and act,” he said.
Flays Opposition
They (Opposition) didn’t want the children of the poor to study in English medium schools. They didn’t like the poor to have access to better medical and health facilities nor was it palatable for them if SCs, STs, BCs and minorities coexisted in the “real estate Rajadhani” (capital Amaravati). Hence, they filed cases against English medium education, and distribution of land pattas to SCs, STs, BCs and minorities there. They spewed venom when tabs were given to the students of government schools saying the tabs were being used for watching other content, conveniently forgetting that they gave the same tabs and phones to their children, he said.
The Opposition’s unwillingness to support the YSRCP government’s endeavours for a socio-economic change in the society as perceived by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was nothing but untouchability in another form. ‘‘The ‘pettamdarlu’ are practising such untouchability and discrimination against the SCs, STs, BCs and minorities. We need to fight it, and strive for social justice, and empowerment as envisioned by Dr. Ambedkar. The Statue of Social Justice will stand testimony to the State government’s efforts to follow and implement his philosophy and ideology, he added.
