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.