The Opposition YSR Congress alleged that the Telugu Desam government was resorting caste based harassment in East Godavari district during the fast- unto- death taken up Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham.
Speaking to reporters, party spokesperson Ambati Rambabu alleged that the police were harassing the members Kapu community in Godavari districts by inquiring the caste of the visitors who were coming to Kirlampudi to express solidarity to the fasting leader.
” The police are taking pictures of the people. inquiring their castes and intimidating them in order to prevent them from participating in the Kapu reservation movement,” Rambabu said. He alleged that instead of working out a viable solution to include the Kapu community in the reservation list without affecting the BCs government was complicating the matter further.
He extended full support to the fast-unto-death of Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham and warned that any attempt to belittle the movement would boomerang on the government.
Questioning the unprecedented mobilization of security forces in the East Godavari district, Rambabu said the government was attempting foil the indefinite fast of Mudragada Padmanabham and his wife by creating frightening atmosphere in the district.
“Chandrababu Naidu is trying cause a split within the Kapu community on one hand and pitting BCs against the Kapus on the other. Every effort is being made to foil the indefinite fast,’ he said and appealed to the Kapu leaders of TDP to join forces with the rest of the community.
He reminded how TDP president Chandrababu Naiu In 2014 Mahanadu had reiterated that Kapus would be included in the Reservation list.
” It is unfortunate the a senior leader had to resort to indefinite fast to remind Naidu of his broken promise 29 months after the promise first made in Mahanadu and 18 months in power,” Ramababu said.
He opined that there was no need for nine months for the commission to complete its work. He put forth three demands from his party:
1. The term of Commission be reduced to three months,
2. Release the Rs 2,000 crore funds for the Kapu Corporation, and
3. Start negotiations with Mudragada Padmanabham immediately.
