'Dalits still facing discrimination'

Rajahmundry: The AP Scheduled Castes Rights Protection Society president Mekala Muthanna observed here on Monday that SCs and STs were still facing discrimination and that there was no protection to dalit women. Addressing the district-level meeting of SC/ST leaders at Dr BR Ambedkar Memorial Hall here, he complained that some dalit leaders were misusing the SC/ST Atrocities(prevention) Act by backing persons belonging to the upper castes. He advised SCs and STs to take police help for getting justice under the Act. He called upon dalit leaders to ensure that schemes meant for their uplift reached the beneficiaries, Society State secretary Kasi Naveen Kumar who presided observed that most of the SCs and STs had developed economically thanks to the efforts of Dr Ambedkar. He called upon such people to support Dalits who were still poor. State leaders K Chennakesava Rao, K Sivaji and B Harikrishna spoke. Mala Mahanadu State secretary Talluri Vijay Kumar, Talluri Babu Rajendra Prasad and Korukonda Chiranjeevi were present.