Shepherd community protests with sheep at Gandhi Bhavan, demands cabinet berths and welfare schemes

Shepherd community members released sheep inside Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad, demanding cabinet berths for Golla, Yadav and Kuruma legislators and fulfilment of Congress manifesto promises, including Rs.2 lakh DBT and sheep distribution. The protest created tension at the party office.

Hyderabad: Congress leaders and workers were taken by surprise when members of the shepherd community released sheep inside Gandhi Bhavan on Monday morning, staging a novel protest demanding cabinet berths for legislators from the Golla, Yadav and Kuruma communities, along with fulfilment of other promises made by the government.

The protesters, under the banner of Yadava Hakkula Porata Samithi, held placards and raised slogans against the Congress government. They called for the immediate induction of legislators from the Yadav, Golla and Kuruma communities into the State Cabinet.

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Apart from cabinet representation, the community leaders also demanded the establishment of a Yadav Corporation and the relaunch of the sheep distribution programme, which had been initiated by the previous BRS government. They pointed out that the Congress, in its election manifesto, had promised Rs.2 lakh through a Direct Benefit Transfer scheme to support sheep rearing among Yadavs and Kurumas, without middlemen. However, even after 18 months in office, the government had failed to implement this promise, they alleged.

Yadava Hakkula Porata Samithi president Mekala Ramulu Yadav said the delay in fulfilling these commitments had led to widespread resentment among the community. He criticised the Congress for neglecting their welfare and failing to deliver on its assurances.

The protest comes amid ongoing demands from Alair MLA Beerla Ilaiah, who belongs to the Golla Kuruma community, to be inducted into the cabinet. Ilaiah has asserted that he is the only MLA from his community and has urged the party leadership to uphold social justice.

The situation at Gandhi Bhavan turned tense as sheep roamed the premises and protesters raised slogans. The timing was significant, with AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan expected to attend meetings at the party headquarters. The protesters attempted to submit a representation to her but were stopped by Congress workers.