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Hyderabad, The Congress, BJP and TDP members today staged a walkout in the
Assembly protesting against the State government’s delay in setting up separate commissions for the welfare of SCs and STs in the State.
Earlier, replying to a question pertaining to this aspect, SC Welfare Minister Jagdish Reddy informed the House that the State government was committed to set up two separate commissions for SCs and STs which hitherto were a combined one. There has been a demand for a long time for two separate commissions and the state government was committed in this regard, he added.
As regards atrocities on the weaker sections, the Minister said the State government was taking firm action in this regard and there was no question of showing any leniency. With regard to the backlog of posts for SCs and STs, steps would be initiated to fill them at the earliest.
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition and Congress member K. Jana Reddy, BJP Floor leader G. Kishan Reddy and TDP member Sandra Venkata Veeriah accused the State government of dilly-dallying in setting up two separate commissions. Even after the Minister had assured that the State government was taking steps for their immediate formation, the Opposition members were not satisfied and staged a walkout.
Thereupon, the Minister lashed out at the Opposition members for walking out of the House and described it as a publicity gimmick to derive political mileage. He reminded the House that since 2010 a separate SC Commission was created. Unfortunately, those who served as ministers in the erstwhile government were now shedding “crocodile tears” on SCs and STs despite failing to set up the commissions while in power. His dig was aimed at Jana Reddy, who was a minister in the erstwhile Congress regime.
Taking potshots against the BJP, the Minister said the State government had represented to the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre with regard to the formation of separate commissions for SCs and STs. “Unfortunately, the Centre has been lending a deaf ear to our pleas and evading sanction on some pretext or other. But unfortunately the BJP members, instead of taking on their own government at the Centre, were trying to shove the blame on the State government”, he regretted and declared that the walkout was only a drama for garnering media attention.
