Former Sarpanches to protest pending bills, demand BC quota in panchayat polls

As the Congress government prepares for Praja Palana celebrations, former Sarpanches in Telangana have announced protests at Gram Panchayat Offices from December 1 to 9, demanding clearance of pending bills worth Rs 531 crore and implementation of 42 per cent reservation for Backward Classes in panchayat elections.

Hyderabad: As the Congress government gears up to organise the Praja Palana celebrations in a fortnight, former Sarpanches have drawn up plans to stage protests at Gram Panchayat Offices from December 1 to 9 over the delay in clearing their pending bills.

They are also demanding that the government conduct panchayat elections with 42 percent reservations for Backward Classes, as promised in the Congress manifesto.

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The State government has to clear pending bills totalling Rs 531 crore. Despite repeated appeals and protests, the government has failed to address the issue for 23 months, Telangana Sarpanches Joint Action Committee president S. Yadaiah said.

He added that many former Sarpanches were facing financial distress, and a few had even resorted to suicide unable to bear the pressure.

Moneylenders were exerting pressure on them to repay loans, leaving several former Sarpanches humiliated, he said.

Meanwhile, BC organisations staged a protest near the Mahatma Jyothiba Phule statue in Amberpet, demanding that the government scrap G.O.Ms. 46. They insisted that the Gram Panchayat elections be conducted with 42 percent reservation for the community.

Under the banner of the BC Organisations Joint Action Committee, leaders led by Jajula Srinivas Goud burnt copies of the GO. He warned that both the Congress and BJP were deceiving the BC community, and would be taught a fitting lesson in the elections for failing to ensure 42 percent reservations.