Hyderabad: TPCC President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has alleged that TRS Government, headed by Chief Minister KCR, has unleashed terror against Dalits across the State.
Addressing a press conference through Zoom App on Friday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said several incidents of atrocities, violence, and injustice against Dalits have surfaced in Telangana in the last two-three days. Describing those incidents as horrifying, he said that those incidents have sent shockwaves among people not only belonging to Dalit communities but also Girijans, Backward Classes, minorities, and other weaker sections.
Referring to the incident of suicide by one B. Narasimhulu, in Gajwel constituency (represented by CM KCR), Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Dalit farmer was forced to commit suicide as the TRS Government took away 13 Guntas of his land to construct Rythu Vedika building. He said the Dalit farmer has recorded a selfie video before consuming poison explaining the reason that forced him to resort to the extreme step. He said Narasimhulu has named local MRO, VRO, Sarpanch, and other TRS leaders in the selfie video. “KCR had promised to give three acres of land to poor Dalit families. Instead, he took away 13 Guntas of land from a poor Dalit farmer in his own constituency. KCR, shame on you,” he said.
Reddy said that the Chief Minister should be ashamed of himself for the incident. Instead of registering a case against those responsible for the suicide, TRS leaders are shamelessly trying to justify death. He said that the selfie video should be treated as a dying declaration and a case must be booked against MRO, VRO, Sarpanch, and other TRS leaders for the Abetment of Suicide. He said that the Congress party would not rest until a case was booked against the culprits.
He also ridiculed Harish Rao’s offer that the State Government would give one acre of land to B. Narasimhulu’s family. “You want to give land and money to the family after driving a poor Dalit farmer to suicide. His life could’ve been saved if the TRS Govt would not have forced him to part with his 13 Guntas of land,” he said.
He also dismissed Harish Rao’s allegation that Narasimhulu’s land was originally taken away by previous Congress Government for a sub-station. He said that the Dalit farmer was in total possession of the land and has been doing cultivation for several generations.
Uttam said another Dalit man, K. Narasimhulu, was run over by a lorry belonging to the illegal sand mafia in Thirumalapur village, Rajapur Mandal of Mahabubnagar district. He was brutally killed and run over by a lorry when he confronted the illegal sand mafia operators for illegal sand exploitation from the village’s water stream. However, the local police registered a case of accidental death so as to protect the sand mafia backed by TRS leaders.
He reminded that Girijans and Dalits in Nerella, Sircilla were subjected to third-degree torture by the police when they raised voice against the illegal sand mafia backed by TRS MP and KCR’s nephew Santosh Reddy. He said no action was taken against the guilty police officials despite confirmation that they brutally tortured the local Dalits and Girijans.
In other cases, he said a Dalit youth, Revuli Raja, was brutally murdered at Mallaram village on July 6 allegedly by a local TRS leader and his goons. He said Congress leaders, including him, were arrested when they tried to visit the village to meet Raja’s family. Another Dalit, Seelam Rangaiah, died in a police lock-up in Ramgiri village of Manthani constituency. He said that a Dalit woman, Teku Laxmi, was gang-raped and murdered in the forest area of Yellapatar in Lingapur Mandal, Kumarambheem Asifabad district in November last year.
He demanded a high level and fair probe into all the incidents and stern action against the culprits.
The TPCC Chief also condemned Welfare Minister Koppula Eshwar for describing those incidents as personal issues. He said people have elected Koppula Eshwar with the hope that he would protect the interest of Dalits and other communities. However, he stoops down to such a low level that he is trying to hush up incidents of atrocities against Dalits to save the image of KCR Government. He asked the Minister not to mislead the people. He asked him to clarify as to how the suicide by Dalit farmers in Gajwel and the death of another Dalit in Mahabubnagar could be called personal issues.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said incidents of atrocities, murder or humiliation of Dalits and Girijans were being reported almost every day ever since the TRS party came to power. Blaming KCR for the rise in incidents of atrocities against Dalits and Girijans, he said that Chandrashekhar Rao became the Chief Minister only due to the support of SCs and STs. “KCR had promised to make a Dalit CM. He also promised three acres of land for Dalit families, double bedroom houses for poor Dalits and 12% reservation for Scheduled Tribes. Has he fulfilled even one promise?” he asked.
The TPCC Chief also slammed the Telangana Police for inaction in the cases of atrocities against SCs and STs. He said while a majority of officials were performing their duties honestly, a few officials were acting at the behest of ruling TRS leaders in an immoral and unethical manner. He said that CM KCR has no control over administration and no clue on his priorities which is evident from the fact that he demolished a functional Secretariat to construct a new building.
Stating that the Congress party would fight until the victims get justice, Uttam said that a party delegation would soon meet Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan on the issue. He said a petition would also be filed with the National Human Rights Commission. He said that the Congress party would explore all legal and democratic means to get justice for Dalits, Girijans, and other oppressed classes. He said Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka would lead a delegation to the Governor as he was in heavy medication and total bed-rest on doctors’ advice. “Despite ill health, I decided to speak to media as the incidents reported in the last two-three days were quite shocking and heart trembling,” he said.
