Dalit ZPTC denied entry in Karimnagar ZP meeting

BRS ZPTC from Jammikunta, Sriram Swamy, had turned up for the meeting by wearing a T-shirt on which he had written 'Release Dalit Bandhu amount immediately'.

Karimnagar: Denial of entry to a dalit ZPTC into the Zilla Parishad general body meeting created a flutter as members raised objections to the move.

Registering his protest against the State government’s delay in the release of the second phase of Dalit Bandhu amount to beneficiaries, BRS ZPTC from Jammikunta, Sriram Swamy, had turned up for the meeting by wearing a T-shirt on which he had written ‘Release Dalit Bandhu amount immediately’. When he arrived at the ZP office, the police prevented him at the cellar itself and denied him entry into the meeting hall on the first floor.

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Knowing about the incident, all the members raised objections to the attitude of the police and registered their protest by standing on their feet. Members have a right to protest on different issues and authorities have no right to deny members’ rights, they said and demanded the ZP authorities to allow the ZPTC in without any conditions.

Responding to the issue, Huzurabad MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy said it was not proper on part of the authorities to prevent a dalit ZPTC from attending the ZP meeting. In order to change the lives of the dalit community, former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had launched the Dalit Bandhu scheme and implemented it in saturation mode in Huzurabad constituency. Out of 18,000 units, about 3,500 units have not been provided the second installment amount. He wanted the Collector to explain the reasons for the delay to the ZP.

Collector Pamela Satpathy said they had got instructions from the State government to maintain status-quo on the Dalit Bandhu scheme till further instructions. Stating that the government had called for a report, she said they had submitted a detailed report to the government.

Responding to the Collector, the MLA said it was unfair on the part of the State government to give instructions to the Collector to stop the Dalit Bandhu scheme. However, the Collector replied that she had not said that the government asked the district administration to stall the Dalit Bandhu scheme, but to maintain status-quo till further instructions.