Manda Krishna rejects 9% quota for Madigas, demands 11% in line with population

MRPS founder Manda Krishna Madiga arriving at Press Club, Somajiguda in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR

Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) founder Manda Krishna has accused the Congress government in Telangana of manipulating the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) to favour the Mala community at the expense of Madigas. He demanded that Madigas receive 11% reservation in proportion to their population among SCs.

At a press conference on Wednesday, he alleged that the sub-classification process was unfair and did not reflect the true population ratio or backwardness of SC sub-groups. He claimed the commission’s report was influenced by those in power and ignored decades of struggle, despite multiple commissions recommending sub-classification.

Calling the government’s proposal of 9% reservation unjust, Manda Krishna urged officials to rectify flaws in the commission’s report. He also criticized the A. Revanth Reddy government for reshuffling sub-caste classifications and moving one group, which allegedly benefitted the most, from Group 2 to Group 1 while keeping another sub-caste with a population of 1.3 lakh in Group 3.

“The government has included two advanced castes in Group 1 to benefit the Mala community,“ he said, taking a swipe at Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha, accusing him of being silent while ‘injustice is meted out’ to Madigas. He also demanded the removal of Mr. Raja Narsimha from the State Cabinet to accommodate two Madigas in the next Cabinet expansion. He has made it clear that he would not accept the proposal to allocate only 9% reservations to the Madigas.

Further, Manda Krishna announced the temporary postponement of the ‘Lakhsala Dappulu – Vela Gonthulu’ programme.