Visakhapatnam: Dalits accuse govt of halting sops to them

Visakhapatnam: Visakha District Dalit Unity Forum (VDDUF) convener Boosi Venkata Rao criticised Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for discontinuing the schemes meant for SCs and STs in the state.

Representatives from Bheem Sena Welfare Association, BSP, Anakapalle Dalit United Front, Christian Minority JAC and other associations staged a dharna here on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Venkata Rao alleged that the YSRCP government did not gave a single rupee as loan to Dalits from the SC Corporation till now.

Dalit association leaders SR Vemana, E Sujatha and K Chinna Rao alleged that decades old schemes for SCs were wiped out without any reason. Leaders demanded that the closed SC and BC study circles in the state should be resumed. They also demanded immediate repeal of GO 77, which stops fee reimbursement for PG students studying in private colleges.

AU professor K John and Ch Jogarao demanded that 18 departments in Andhra University be reopened as they were removed. Further, they demanded to regularise outsourced faculty at the earliest.

Representatives of DHPS, RKP, AIDRF, KVPS, DKSS, DHSS and other dalit associations took part in the protest by raising slogans against the YSRCP government during the protest.