BRS lashes out at Congress over unfulfilled promises to STs

BRS leaders accused the Congress government of failing to fulfil electoral promises to tribal communities, including financial assistance, reservations and Podu land pattas. Former Ministers V. Srinivas Goud and C. Laxma Reddy highlighted welfare measures implemented during the BRS government

Mahabubnagar: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) lashed out at the Congress government for allegedly failing to fulfil electoral promises made to Scheduled Tribes (STs) and other sections in the State.

Former Minister V. Srinivas Goud participated in a meeting with members of the tribal community here on Tuesday.

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Speaking at the meeting, Goud accused the Congress of deceiving the tribal community by failing to implement promises made during the elections.

He said the Congress had promised Rs 12 lakh in financial assistance to ST families under the ‘Ambedkar Abhayahastham’ scheme. He also alleged that the party had misled the community with its promise of 12 per cent reservation for STs in government procurement and contracts.

The Congress government had also reneged on its promise to issue land titles (pattas) for Podu lands, he alleged.

Goud said the BRS government had increased ST reservations to 10 per cent, proportionate to the tribal population. As many as 3,146 tribal hamlets (Thandas) were upgraded to Gram Panchayats, creating opportunities for around 30,000 tribal people to serve as elected representatives, including Sarpanches, Deputy Sarpanches and Ward Members.

He also highlighted the construction of Sevalal Banjara Bhavan and Komaram Bheem Adivasi Bhavan in Hyderabad.

The BRS leaders said officials were creating hurdles in handing over two acres of land allocated to the Erukala Association at the Mahabubnagar district headquarters. The party demanded that the land be handed over immediately.

Meanwhile, former Minister C. Laxma Reddy, speaking at Ambedkar Kalabhavan in Jadcherla, said BRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao had fulfilled the demand for increasing reservations for tribal communities on September 17.

He said only two of the 200 Thandas in the Jadcherla constituency had water tanks in the past, forcing residents to struggle for drinking water. The BRS government provided safe drinking water to the Thandas through Mission Bhagiratha, he said.

“The BRS government achieved what the Congress and TDP failed to do in seventy years. The development witnessed in the Thandas stands as proof of this. Thousands of tribal students are pursuing MBBS in government medical colleges,” Laxma Reddy said.