An emotional Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) chief Manda Krishna Madiga extolled ‘Big Brother’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and pleaded with him to provide a solution to the 30-year-old peaceful struggle for providing social justice to the Madiga community from among the Scheduled Castes (SCs), on Saturday.
“There is no leader comparable to you in the country. You may look serious, but your heart can melt. You have come from a poor BC background and reached the high position overcoming many hurdles. You can well understand our plight and if there is anybody who can do the SC categorisation, it is you as you are not known to go back on your promises come what may,” he addressed the Prime Minister at the ‘Oppressed Communities’ public meeting in Parade Grounds.
Mr. Krishna Madiga said as a “little brother”, he will become a ‘Lakshmana’ and the community will stand by Mr. Modi in the South where the BJP has been hit with negative propaganda. “Many intellectuals told me that our problems will be solved if the PM comes to our meeting. Which PM had last attended a BC meeting and now a meeting of oppressed classes within a span of few days?,” he questioned.
The MRPS chief was seen repeatedly hugging on meeting the Prime Minister as soon has got on stage and also got emotional several times. Mr. Modi was noticed patting his back to console him and later even Union Minister Kishan Reddy had to do the same when the PM was speaking.
Mr. Krishna Madiga charged that while the Congress Party and the BRS have made empty promises on social justice, it was Mr. Modi alone who was walking the talk and had the “guts” to announce a BC as the Chief Minister in Telangana.
“You (PM) have made a Dalit as the President in the first term and in the second term, you have made a tribal woman as the President. It is not possible for the Congress or any other party. You have come from a backward class so you could do it,” he said.
Two leaders from the community from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka – L. Murugan and A. Narayanaswamy, have been made Union Ministers but not a single ministry has been given in the Cabinet of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao here.
“I was among those who gave lime juice to KCR when he went on a fast unto death but he has not made single Madiga as the minister. Velamas got four Cabinet berths with less than 1% population and Reddys were given seven ministerial posts. KCR crushed us whereas you have shown respect to us,” he said.
Explaining the MRPS movement since 1994 for SC categorisation, he pointed out that every commission appointed had accepted that Madigas were being discriminated and lagged behind in education, jobs and political power.
“Every party has put our demand in their respective manifestoes and resolutions have been passed in the Legislative Assembly and it is now upto the Centre. If categorisation is done, it will be realisation of the dreams of both Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar,” he told the PM during his address.
“This society treated us worse than animals. We were never treated like human beings and treated like untouchables. Our community’s development is more important than politics We are not against anyone, we are only seeking our rights and you (PM) have come as a big brother to do justice to us. You (PM) had the courage to provide quota for women, BCs and removed triple talaq,” he added.
Earlier, Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region G. Kishan Reddy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming to the Madigas public meeting itself is a big victory for the community. He hails from a poor background and understands the deprived sections’ plight. This meeting is not against anyone but only to highlight the need to ensure the fruits of development reaches every person, he maintained.
The public meeting was a result of Mr. Krishna Madiga meeting Mr. Modi during his recent Warangal visit where he explained the SC categorisation issue. “The MRPS chief has been fighting a relentless battle for the last 30 years despite facing baseless allegations and obstacles,” he added.
