Chandrababu Naidu tries to balance between Kapu and BC

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu wanting to do that justice to both Kapus and Backward Castes announced that scholarships will be provided to Kapu students from next academic year onwards.

However, CM Naidu did not elaborate much on this. He made the announcement while addressing a Kapu runa mela organised at Eluru.

Other promises that CM Naidu made to the Kapu community are:

• Government will give a hand-holding to the poor in Kapu community.
• Government would earmark Rs. 1,000 crore for the Kapu Corporation in the coming budget.
• Government will disburse loans to the tune of Rs. 192 crore to Kapus through the Kapu Corporation.

CM Naidu's message:

CM Naidu's message was that poor are found in all the castes in the state and his government will rather try to remove economic disparities and work till the goal is achieved.

Mr. Naidu was also reported to have said that, "We already appointed Justice Manjunatha Commission to study on the BC reservations to Kapus in the State. On Wednesday, we appointed members to the commission and it has been given nine months time to submit its report."

CM on those provoking violence:

"Under the guise of agitation, those people are provoking violence. The East and West Godavari district stood for their peacefulness, sincerity and honesty and we never witnessed such violence which took place recently in these districts. These forces are obstructing the airport construction at Bhogapuram and instigating the farmers who are willing to give their lands."

"We acquired 33,000 acres from the farmers voluntarily for the construction of capital. Some people tried to create obstacles for this."

CM on those creating controversy:

"If peace prevails, there will be development. In addition, at those places we will get the industries, tourism spots."

Kapu demands:

The demands of the Kapu caste which mainly depends on agriculture for livelihood are:

• Inclusion in the state's backward classes list
• Set up a welfare corporation for Kapu caste and endow the corporation with Rs. 1,000 crore annually.

Kapus as a community:

Only two Kapu castes are included in the list of backward classes (BC). In Andhra Pradesh there are four caste Balijas, Kapus, Ontaris and Telagas which when united form more than a quarter of the Andhra Pradesh's population.

Benefits for Kapus should they get included in BC list:

• Kapus will get reservation in government educational institutions and for government jobs too
• They will get benefit while building houses
• The students will get scholarships for private study.

History of Kapu movement:

Kapu movement began under the leadership of Congress politician Vangaveeti Mohan Ranga Rao in the 1980s.
Ranga Rao was assassinated while on a hunger strike while the movement was at its peak in 1989.

Mudragada Padmanabham took over from where it was left by Ranga Rao. In the early 1990s he was the biggest champion of the Kapu cause.

Since 1980s Kapus have been encouraging inter-marriage to build solidarity with the common demand to be included in Backward Castes.

Views of the caste who are already in BC list:

• Kapus are only economically backward.
• Including then in BC list goes against the foundation of reservations.
• Economic backwardness is temporary and any one can get out of it without the help of reservations.
• Socially deprived can't develop financially without reservations.