BJP State president Somu Veerraju demanded that the government should implement reservation for Kapus as per the commitment given by it in 2017 by passing the AP Kapu (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in Services under the State) Bill in the Legislative Assembly.
“When reservation is being given for Muslims, what is preventing the government from fulfilling its assurance to the Kapu community who constitute a sizable chunk of the population?”, he questioned.
Addressing media persons here on Sunday, Mr. Veerraju said MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao has rightly pointed at the government’s negligence in implementing reservation for Kapus. The government should at least now keep its word, lest the community should continue to be socially and economically backward.
Referring to the State’s demand for Special Category Status (SCS), he said it was removed from the agenda of the dispute resolution committee formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to sort out the bilateral issues between Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana, as it pertained to AP only. However, it should be discussed separately.
Nitin Gadkari’s visit
Mr. Veerraju said Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari is scheduled to visit the State on February 17 to lay foundations for 30 highway projects and dedicate 21 projects to the nation.
He said there was a plan to improve the road connectivity to tourism circuits like Visakhapatnam - Rajahmundry - Lambasingi. Besides, major road projects were lined up in Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari and Rayalaseema districts.
While the Centre was moving in a positive direction, AP government was taking retrograde steps like, for instance, taking back lands that were given for the establishment of a nature cure hospital at Gannavaram and setting up a plantation research facility at Samalkot and allotting those lands for the construction of houses under Jagananna housing scheme.
