Minister dares TDP for debate on Dalits’ welfare

Vijayawada: Minister for Social Welfare Merugu Nagarjuna challenged the TDP for an open debate on the welfare programmes implemented for the Dalits during the TDP regime and by the present YSRCP government. He said that the TDP failed to do justice to Dalits during its rule.

Speaking to mediapersons at the YSRCP office here on Tuesday, the Minister said that the TDP is trying to politicise the issue of death of a Dalit in Kakinada. He said that the YSRCP is ready for a debate on Dalits’s welfare.

He said that the Dalits were neglected and number of attacks took place on Dalit men and women during the TDP regime. He criticised the TDP for creating hurdles in the implementation of the scheme for distribution of houses to the poor and introduction of English medium in schools which was aimed to benefit poor children.

The Minister said that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government implemented number of welfare schemes to benefit Dalits and distributed assigned lands to Dalits. He said former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu failed to provide any benefits to Dalits during his 14 years of rule.

He said with the implementation of welfare programmes, the poverty ratio came down in AP. He said that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy brought about revolutionary changes in the education sector which was appreciated by other States.

He found fault with the TDP for trying to politicise the issue of Naidu’s judicial remand in the “Skill development scam.” He said that the State government deployed a special medical team to protect the health of Naidu at the Rajamahendravaram Central Prison.