HYDERABAD: The comments made against SCs, STs and BCs by TRS Parkal MLA Challa Dharma Reddy is snowballing into a major controversy for the ruling TRS ahead of elections to seven urban local bodies, a couple of MLC seats and bypoll to Nagarjuna Sagar assembly constituency.
At a public meeting in Warangal on Sunday, Dharma Reddy had claimed that government officers from backward castes are incapable and inefficient, which has led to the state becoming spoiled.
The Congress and BJP have threatened to launch state-wide agitations if TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao does not expel Dharma Reddy from the party and disqualify him from the membership of the state assembly.
Further, the Telangana State Human Rights Commission (TSHRC) on Tuesday issued directions to Warangal police commissioner to submit a report on the comments made by the legislator before March 1. A complaint has also been lodged with the National SC Commission against Dharma Reddy. It also urged the director general of police (DGP) to book a case suo motu under SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act against the TRS MLA.
The development comes after BC leader Dasu Suresh lodged a complaint with TSHRC and Telangana Congress general secretary Bakka Judson lodged a complaint with National SC Commission urging it to book a case under SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act against Dharma Reddy.
Meanwhile, Dharma Reddy said that he has apologised publicly for the comments, stating that his intention was not to hurt these sections of the community and that he has withdrawn his comments. However, leaders of SC, ST and BC communities from the Congress, BJP and other welfare associations refused to forgive the legislator and said that his comments only reflected the racist mentality and upper caste arrogance of the legislator. BJP leader Motkupalli Narasimhulu said Dharma Reddy has no moral right to continue as MLA. “KCR and TRS working president K T Rama Rao should apologise to the weaker sections of the society. KCR should not forget that Telangana state was achieved due to the sacrifices of students from the SC, ST and BC communities,” he said.
Congress leaders Bakka Judson, Ramulu Naik, Vijay Kumar and N Pritam blamed KCR for his party MLAs publicly displaying racist hatred against the SCs, STs and BCs. “KCR had promised to make a Dalit leader as the chief minister of Telangana but did not do so. Later, he sacked deputy chief minister T Rajaiah from his post. The ruling TRS is snatching away lands of Dalit farmers on the pretext of setting up projects like Pharma City and others,” they said.