BC youth’s suicide over unmet 42 per cent reservations trigger political storm
A 28-year-old youth, Sai Eshwar, died after attempting self-immolation over the Congress government’s failure to deliver 42 per cent BC reservation. His death sparked strong political reactions, with BRS leaders accusing the government of betrayal and demanding Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia
Hyderabad: Distraught over the Congress government’s failure to fulfil its pre-election promise of providing 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes (BCs), a 28-year-old youth, Sai Eshwar, who attempted suicide by self-immolation on Thursday, died while undergoing treatment on Friday.
The tragedy has triggered a political storm over the broken promise made by the Congress Party during the 2023 Assembly campaign. According to sources close to the family, Eshwar was deeply upset after recent government notifications which limited BC reservations in panchayat elections far below the 42 per cent assured in the Congress party’s “Kamareddy Declaration” during the 2023 Assembly election campaign.
The Congress government, which assumed power in December 2023, had repeatedly promised 42 per cent quota for BCs in upcoming Panchayat Raj and municipal elections. However, officials have cited pending litigation in courts and the absence of an updated caste survey as reasons for the lower quotas in recent notifications. The incident has sparked outrage among BC organisations and opposition parties. Several organisations have announced statewide protests, terming the development a “betrayal of backward classes”.
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao reacted strongly, holding Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi responsible for the tragedy. Calling it a murder committed by the Congress government, he said the precious life of a young man was lost due to what he termed horrendous deceit committed by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in the name of BC reservations. Unable to bear the Congress government’s complete betrayal of its promise of 42 per cent reservation in local body elections, Eshwar took the extreme step of ending his life, he said.
“By reducing BC reservations in panchayat elections to a mere 17 per cent, the Chief Minister has stabbed the backward classes in the back. This is nothing short of murder committed by the Congress government. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Rahul Gandhi must take moral responsibility for Sai Eshwar’s death.” K T Rama Rao accused the Congress of being insincere in conducting the caste census and issuing legally unsustainable government orders, effectively burying the Kamareddy Declaration. He demanded that the state government immediately announce Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia payment to the bereaved family and provide all possible support.
Echoing the same sentiment, senior BRS MLA T Harish Rao held the Chief Minister directly responsible for the suicide of the BC youth and termed the incident a “murder” orchestrated through “political games” in the name of Backward Classes reservations. Taking to social media platform X, Harish Rao said, “I am deeply disturbed and heartbroken that my younger brother Sayi Eshwar lost his life in the political game played by Revanth Reddy in the name of BC reservations. The BC community will never forgive the Congress government that drove a BC son to sacrifice his life. This is nothing short of a murder committed by the Congress government. It is a life sacrificed to Revanth’s lust for power. I pray to God that Sayi Eshwar’s soul rests in peace.”
The BRS leader further demanded that the state government immediately announce Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia and stand by the bereaved family. “On behalf of the BRS, we demand that the government extend full support to the victim’s family and announce Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia to help them in this hour of grief,” Harish Rao stated. BRS MLC Sravan Dasoju said that Sai Eshwar’s death cannot be viewed as mere suicide. It reflects deep governmental failure and betrayal. Sai Eshwara Chary did not lose his life due to personal despair. His tragic end is the direct outcome of the political deceit and systemic failure of the Revanth Reddy government. A regime that played with BC lives, BC dreams, BC hopes and BC dignity pushed this young man into a darkness from which he could not return. This betrayal by the government cost him his life, he asserted, extending deepest condolences to his grieving family and friends.
