Madiga reservation: Tension in Guntur as Andhra police arrest protesting activists

Security was also stepped up outside Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu's house.
Madiga reservation: Tension in Guntur as Andhra police arrest protesting activists
Madiga reservation: Tension in Guntur as Andhra police arrest protesting activists
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There was high tension in front of the Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur, after scores of people were detained by the Andhra police when they tried to attend a public meeting of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS).

The MRPS has been demanding categorisation of  SC reservations and decided to hold a 'Kurukshetra' meeting on Friday, which was foiled by the police. 

The Deccan Chronicle reported that the police stopped MRPS leaders and activists coming from several districts and shifted them to police stations, even as security was stepped up at the Secretariat in Velagapudi and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's house in Undavalli. 

The DC report also adds that the police had a tough time as activists of the Mala Mahanadu, which opposed categorisation of SC reservation, also decided to visit the meeting spot in Guntur.

Speaking to the Times of India, MRPS chief Krishna Madiga lashed out against Naidu and demanded that the state government immediately release an action plan to classify Scheduled Castes (SCs).

"Naidu took a Mala leader in the cabinet by sacking a man from the Madiga community. He gifted corporation posts to Mala leaders Jupudi Prabhakara Rao and Karem Sivaji, who campaigned against the TDP in the last elections. The CM dumped MRPS which worked for his comeback to power," he told TOI.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister N Chinarajappa lashed out against the movement.

“Telangana leaders cannot agitate for their rights here (AP). We will resolve issues (if any) if leaders belonging to Andhra Pradesh approach state government. They should have cancelled the meeting when the government rejected permissions. Instead, the Telangana leader is trying to create disturbance here. We will act tough in such situations," the Minister was quoted as saying.

Last month, Krishna told the media, "Naidu seems to have forgotten the help from Madigas in Telangana, helping in election/party campaign when in opposition. He is further giving importance to leaders from the Mala community, forgetting their stance which was against him. Even YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is silent on the injustice being done to the Madigas."

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