Mahajana Padayatra makes a move

​Hyderabad: With the participation of hundreds of CPM activists, the Mahajana Padayatra took off in Ibrahimpatnam of Ranga Reddy district on Monday. Dr B R Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash flagged off the 5-month long 4,000 km padayatra with the main agenda of securing social justice and comprehensive development.

Addressing a huge gathering, Prakash Ambedkar expressed confidence that the yatra would be successful. He said that his grandfather had advocated smaller states for development, but here in Telangana KCR was ‘looting’ the state. Prakash pointed out that development taking place in the state was not ‘real’.

He suggested to the government to promote agri-based industries with villages as centres for creating means of livelihood for BCs, which would help them in uplifting their lives.

Telangana state CPM secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram and eight others of the party are taking part in the rally. The yatra covered seven kilometres on Monday. It will cover 20 km on Tuesday. The CPI and other left-wing parties, Dalit and Bahujan organisations and intellectuals are supporting the yatra.

Speaking at the flagging off function, Congress spokesman Addanki Dayakar advocated the need for beating up those who stop it. CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and leaders of Mala Mahanadu and MRPS announced that their activists would take part in the yatra.

Addressing a public meeting, Veerabhadram hit out at the state government. He contended that the rally was being organised to bring about a change among SCs, STs, BCs and minorities who have been denied any progress, while clarifying that it was not intended to be against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. He claimed that the rally was to give a boost to “self-respect of weaker sections”.

The CPM leader demanded allocation of budget to SCs, STs, BCs and minorities in proportion to their population, while finding fault with the government’s development model. He favoured a new model of development in place of one which only encourages financial inequalities among people even as he pointed out that the concept of ‘Bangaru Telangana’ was only a lip service. “Development is limited to only ruling classes and not reaching the needy,” he said.

He alleged that the government failed to deliver in education, health and employment sectors and questioned as to why KCR, after praising the party in the past, was finding fault with the yatra. “The CM is not angry with CPM and with the agenda of the yatra,” he said. Veerabhadram claimed that KCR had called for stalling of the yatra fearing that people would question the government on social justice.

He asserted that there was no question of calling off the yatra, while challenging the police to stop it. “Even if arrested I will continue the yatra from the police station,” he asserted. He claimed that the yatra would lead to a new era and heralding of social justice, while asserting that the party would convert social agenda into a political agenda and dictate in the ensuing elections.