Install Phule’s statue in Assembly, make Caste Census report public, demands BRS MLC Kavitha

Kavitha insists that a statue of Phule at the Assembly would be a true mark of social justice and empowerment

Hyderabad: BRS MLC K Kavitha reiterated her demand for the installation of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule’s statue in the Telangana Assembly premises, asserting that the fight will continue until the goal is achieved. Welcoming the State government’s plans to install Phule’s statue near Necklace Road, she insisted that a statue of Phule at the Assembly would be a true mark of social justice and empowerment.

She was speaking at Phule’s birth anniversary celebrations organised in Mint Compound and later at Karwan on Friday.

Kavitha, who is also the founder president of Telangana Jagruthi, reminded that they had fought for and succeeded in installing Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue in the Assembly in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. “This is not a new struggle. Telangana Jagruthi has always stood for the rights of backward communities,” she asserted.

Demanding urgent action on the BC reservations issue, Kavitha urged the State government to press the Centre for approval of the 42 per cent BC Reservation Bill passed by the Assembly. “With the EWS quota pushing reservations beyond the 50 per cent cap in nine States, Telangana must lead the way in securing justice for BCs,” she said, demanding that the Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy, lead an all-party delegation to Delhi immediately.

Raising concerns about the recent caste census, Kavitha pointed out that lakhs of families have complained about being excluded. She demanded that the Caste Census data be disclosed at the gram panchayat level to ensure transparency and accountability.

CPM State secretary John Wesley, who also participated in the meeting, extended his party’s support to the BRS MLC’s fight. He stated that without eradicating caste inequalities, no real development can happen. He also demanded that the Centre conduct a nationwide caste census and demanded the Telangana government make the collected data public.