Caste-based groups striving for political representation ahead of Rajasthan election
Jaipur (PTI): Ahead of assembly elections due this year end, all major communities in the state have started calling caste-based mass meetings to show their supremacy and increase their political representation.
After Jat community's mass meeting on March 5 in Jaipur where Jat leaders from ruling and opposition parties sought top political positions and representation, Brahmin community too has called its Mahapanchayat in Jaipur on March 19. Rajput community had organised meeting December last year in Jaipur.
The meeting of Brahmin community is also expected to be attended by political leaders cutting across the party line.
Vipra Sena Chief and organiser of Brahmin Mahapanchayat, Sunil Tiwari is all set for a show of strength.
Though he called the event a social programme, Tiwari made no bones about community's demand for increase in political representation.
"It is a social event where community people will gather. The community has its demands as well. Both the BJP and Congress should give tickets on 40 seats dominated by Brahmin community," Tiwari said.
Among the other demands of the community were -- the formation of a Vipra Commission, that the incident of violence against priests be made non-bailable just as it is under SC/ST Act, declaring Parshuram Jayanti a national holiday, and that EWS perks be given on the lines of OBC reservation.
Besides a greater political representation in the centre and in Rajasthan, the Jat community is also asking for a caste survey.
"As Jats constitute around 21 per cent of the population of Rajasthan, Congress and BJP should give at least 40 tickets each to Jat candidates. This is what leaders expressed in the Mahapanchayat," Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha president Rajaram Meel said.
Congress MLA and a Jat leader Harish Choudhary demanded for a caste survey to get insights into how well-off Jat community is and what needs to be done for them.
To swing Jat community in its favour, the ruling Congress announced forming a Veer Tejaji Board ahead of its mass meeting. Tejaji is a deity of Jat community.
Another example of Congress government's social engineering is formation of three new boards Rajasthan Leather Craft Development Board, Rajasthan State Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Board (Mali community), and Rajasthan State Rajak (Dhobi) Welfare Board. Mali caste in Rajasthan comes under OBC, while Dhobhi (washerman) and those involved in leather trade come under SC community.
Earlier also, boards were constituted by various government based on the craft or community such as Vipra Welfare Board for Brahmin community, Mati Kala Board for potter community, Kesh Kala Board for Sains from barber community, and Devnarayan Board for Gujjar community.
Deputy leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said the people have lost their faith on the government and the CM is now trying to lure them with boards formed on caste lines.
Congress spokesperson RC Choudhary said that it is the government's responsibility to ensure their social, economic and political participation and the Boards have been formed to ensure participation of backward, poor and deprived communities.
Political commentators say that caste-based organisations are trying to put pressure on political parties for better representations through mass meetings and get maximum benefit ahead of assembly polls.
Jats, Brahmins are major vote banks and the way the government has fulfilled their demands, may provoke the other castes to come on streets, they said.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
