KE pledges to stand by Ediga, Gowda communities

Anantapur: Deputy Chief Minister K E Krishnamurthy on Friday pledged to stand by people belonging to the Ediga and Gowda communities and work for their welfare.

Addressing a meeting after inaugurating the Rs 1.4 crore Renuka Yellamma Ediga Bhavan on the outskirts of the town, he said former MLA Sainath Gowd had laid the foundation for the building in 2005. The bhavan has a kalyana mandapam, a community hall besides a hostel for students.

The Deputy CM while thanking those who donated for the bhavan said it would facilitate stay of poor students of the Ediga and Gowda communities in Rayalaseema. He observed that many people belonging to these communities were poor and that their ancestors had struggled working as toddy tappers.

Krishnamurthy clarified that he was not attending caste/community meetings with caste bias, but to go to the rescue of the poor and to explain to them the welfare schemes being implemented by the government. He said he would request Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to set up a federation for the benefit of the Ediga and Gowda communities. He would strive for securing house-sites to the communities, after sending recommendations to the Cabinet. Krishnamurthy appealed to people of the two communities to educate their children.

Former Karnataka MP H G Ramulu called upon the Gowda community people to pursue education for their economic uplift. Anantapur MLA Prabhakar Chowdary praised Krishnamurthy for coming up in life without the help of high castes and through his own efforts. He promised to secure house-sites for Edigas and Gowdas and to cooperate in building the compound wall besides and a room in the bhavan. Legislators Jeetendra Gowd and Pithani Satyanarayana called up the poor to give importance to education taking advantage the government schemes. Mayor Swaroopa, Deputy Mayor Gampanna, Sri Renuka Yellamma Social and Educational Society Chairman Adinarayana Gowd were present.