Terming the suicide bid two dalits of Gudem village in Bejjanki mandal as unfortunate, Minister for Finance and Civil Supplies Eatala Rajender said that the incident can not be taken as one against the State Government or the party.
He said that Mahankai Srinivas of Gudem village in Bejjanki mandal of Siddipet district made suicide attempt by dousing himself with kerosene due to village-level politics. In order to save Srinivas, another village Parusharamulu tried to save him and he was engulfed in the fire and sustained burn injuries, he added.
Talking to newsmen here on Tuesday, he said that dalit legislator from Manakondur Rasamayi Balakishan is doing his best to provide land to the landless dalits in Gudem village of Bejjanki mandal. The authorities have identified 60 acres of land in Gudem village but there are more than 40 beneficiaries. The legislator informed the authorities to ensure that first priority is given to landless dalits in giving three acres of land, one acre of land to dalits who have two acres of land and two acres of land to dalits who have one acre land.
After the incident, the legislator reacted seriously and ordered Siddipet district Collector to order an inquiry and VRO Ravi was suspended on charges of corruption, he said, and added that the government would not spare even the TRS leaders if found involved in irregularities in the land distribution scheme to dalits.
Flaying the opposition parties for politicising the issue, he said that the TRS government is in the forefront in the implementation of several welfare schemes for the upliftment and empowerment of dalits.
He said that the State Government is spending between ₹16 lakh and ₹20 lakh on each beneficiary for the implementation of the scheme.
Mr. Rajender said that the State Government constituted a fast track court and punished the culprits involved in the gang rape of a dalit girl in Challur village of Karimnagar district within 20 months, unlike the BJP government which took several years to punish the Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. He appealed to the opposition parties stop making false allegations.