Ponnam says suicide issue being politicised, vows continued fight for BC rights

BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar defended the Congress government’s stance on BC reservations, clarifying that gram panchayat elections were being held under compelling circumstances and not due to opposition to the 42 percent quota demand. He accused the BJP-led Centre of delaying implementation and urged all parties to unite under the Chalo Delhi programme.

Hyderabad: BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Saturday said gram panchayat elections were being held under ‘compelling circumstances’, hinting at the suicide of BC youngster Sai Eshwar Chary, and said this should not be construed as the Congress government being opposed to 42 percent reservations for BCs.

Hinting that opposition parties were using the incident as a political tactic, he blamed the BJP-led Centre for the delay in the reservations.

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“Cutting across party lines, all leaders should fight with the Centre. Everyone should extend their support to the Chalo Delhi programme and ensure the Centre heeds to our demands,” Prabhakar told media persons in Karimnagar.

Referring to the suicide of BC youngster Sai Eshwar Chary, the Minister appealed to the BC community not to fall prey to political tactics. “Irrespective of the tactics adopted, do not become scapegoats,” he said.

Facing public anger after the suicide, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud on Saturday claimed that a delegation led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would soon meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to exert pressure on the reservation demand.

“The promise to extend 42 percent reservations to BCs is not a closed chapter. We will keep trying till success is achieved,” Goud said.

After paying tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar on his death anniversary at Amberpet, Goud said the death of Sai Eshwar Chary was painful and unfortunate. “Life is precious. BC leaders and youth should not take any extreme steps,” he said, assuring that the government would extend full support to Eshwar Chary’s family.

He reiterated that like statutory rights for SCs and STs, the Congress
would continue its fight for 42 percent statutory reservations to BCs.

“The Congress government will come to power at the Centre and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will become the Prime Minister. Like the SC, ST reservations, statutory reservations for BCs will also be secured,” he claimed.

Accusing the BJP of creating hurdles in implementing 42 percent reservations, he said the State government had taken all necessary political, technical and legal measures from its side.