A group of Dalits on Sunday staged a protest and burnt the effigy of Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao at Ankireddypally village in Kondapaka mandal of Siddipet district, alleging corruption in the Telangana government’s Dalit Bandhu scheme. They said the beneficiaries are selected on the basis of their proximity to the ruling party and not those fulfilling the criteria for the assistance. Effigies of the MPTC member and village sarpanch were also burnt.
A similar protest was held at Gummadidala in Sangareddy district led by the Congress party. They held a symbolic ‘last journey’ with the effigy of the Chief Minister, raising slogans against the BRS government.
A few days ago, some Dalits from Peddapur village in Sadasivapet mandal had also brought forth the same allegations. “Those who have cars and buildings made it to the list of the beneficiaries whereas our names went missing. We are poor and have 10 guntas of land. We do not know why our names were not on the list,” said a villager, who recently visited the Collectorate at Sangareddy to make an appeal to officials. His allegation was that no specific criteria is being followed in the selection of beneficiaries and the process was being guided by the will of ruling party leaders.
“In every village, the selection is being done by the sarpanch, MPTC member and BRS party president. In most cases, as all these posts are being held by ruling party leaders, naturally, those close to the party are being selected,” said a resident of Kondapaka on the condition of anonymity.
