Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 97: Scope Of Welfare Schemes Restricted in Chandrababu Regime

Chinnarikatla, Prakasam district: This morning, on my Padayatra, over 100 differently-abled people came and met me. They had a spate of complaints and said that the TDP government had ignored their plight completely. Pensions were not given, welfare schemes not implemented properly, land supposed to be assigned to them for houses not approved and implemented. They catalogued a long list of unfulfilled commitments made by Chandrababu Naidu. “Anna, in the past differently-abled like us were treated with great care and consideration by your father, the late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy,” they remembered.

They pointed out that my father had sanctioned land for 250 houses in the Kanigiri Urban Colony and that they had also been given ownership pattas. They had never faced any problem with respect to loans or when it came to constructing houses. As differently-abled they were given special ration cards. Whenever they faced any difficulty they said, a mere petition would ensure justice and the smooth implementation of any welfare scheme, they pointed out. “All aids for the disabled including tricycles were given to us,” they said.

During the late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy’s time, officials would come home and give pensions, they said. After his untimely demise, we fell on bad times and our lives are filled with darkness. There is no hope of building houses even though some of us have plots. Restrictions and regulations limit the scope of every single welfare scheme meant for us. Under Chandrababu Naidu hi-tech rule, we have to run around offices which claim to use online systems. Among us, the blind and other differently-abled, there are many people who are illiterate. How are we supposed to learn online techniques. No help is forthcoming from the government authorities. The online system is very difficult for us. How unjust! Citing technical reasons denying pensions, ration cards and other welfare schemes and limiting the scope is the very height of institutionalised negligence.

The TDP government has mastered this technique. They further said—“People like us are being tortured by Janmabhoomi committees. Members of these committees come to us seeking bribes. If this government cannot do justice to a section of society such as ours, what kind of governance can it provide?” Is it fair to make their lives more miserable? Is it just to add to their difficulties? How can the government discriminate on the basis of party loyalties of common citizens, in this case the differently-abled? What about extra-constitutional bodies like Janmabhoomi committees which dictate terms in villages and discriminate against even the differently-abled on the basis of the ruling party and opposition party? When will this tyranny cease?

A delegation of members of an association which had been actively fighting for the establishment of a corporation for the Madiga community met me in the afternoon. Kanaka Rao Anna, who was the convener of this association and was spearheading the movement, spoke of Chandrababu Naidu’s betrayal of promises made to them.

“Before the elections Chandrababu Naidu stitched shoes as cobblers would, beat drums as some of us would, to show that he is one of us. He claimed that he would become a great Madiga. As soon as I come to power” Chandrababu asssured them,” “I will take up the exercise of classification of sub-castes of SCs.” Four years have gone by they pointed out, but Chandrababu has done precious little. They feel cheated by the Chandrababu-led TDP government. They submitted a petition seeking the establishment of a separate Corporation for the Madiga community.

Chandrababu, for his own selfish, political ends, created a rift between our SC sub-castes and drove a wedge between the Mala and Madiga communities. In spite of being familiar with the Constitution, he gave false assurances. By including such fake commitments in his manifesto, he tried to gain politically and made such promises only for his selfish political reasons. As soon as he came to power, all his promises regarding classification of sub-castes of SCs, inclusion of many communities in the list STs and BCs, and a host of other such promises were forgotten by Chandrababu Naidu.

I gave them a solemn assurance that when the YSRCP comes to power, justice would be done to them. I told them never to believe promises of self-seeking politicians like Chandrababu Naidu. I also made a commitment to establish separate corporations for the Mala and Madiga communities. I further told them that these two communities were like my two eyes, each as dear to me as the other.

I have a question for the chief minister—you had promised assistance of several types to the differently abled in your election manifesto. Today, not only have you restricted the range and scope of the welfare schemes meant for them, but you have also unleashed your Janmabhoomi committees on them. Is this not injustice? What has happened to the promises that you made to them ?