At a seminar organised by the National Forum for Social Justice in Judiciary on Scheduled Castes Classification for Social Justice, Minister for Damodar Raja Narasimha reiterated the Telangana government’s commitment to implementing SC categorisation in line with the Supreme Court’s directives. The event, hosted by lawyers from the Madiga community, Nagaraju Anjaiah and Praveen, saw participation from Justice Eshwaraiah, social reformer Visharadhan, and senior advocate Muthayya.
Damodar Raja Narasimha highlighted that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had already made a statement in the Legislative Assembly affirming the government’s decision to implement SC categorisation. Following this, Congress took the lead by forming a cabinet sub-committee under Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy’s chairmanship to address the issue. Based on its recommendations, the state government appointed Justice Shameem Akhtar as a one-member commission to study and execute the categorization process using empirical data and a transparent approach.
The Minister urged intellectuals from the Madiga community to play a proactive role in dispelling misconceptions surrounding SC categorization. He stated that categorization alone would ensure equal opportunities in education and employment for marginalized SC sub-groups. “Apart from reservations, SC Sub-Plan and land protection laws will also be instrumental in the upliftment of Madigas and their allied sub-castes,” he said. He further emphasized that 9.77% of SC reservations will be allocated to the Madiga community, ensuring fair representation.
Speaking at the event, Justice Eshwaraiah Goud described SC categorisation as a constitutionally justified process aimed at ensuring equal opportunities for all SC communities. He envisioned that once categorisation is implemented, SC, ST, and BC groups will unite in their fight for political power.
Social reformer Visharadhan took a strong stance, stating that the SC categorisation movement had been hijacked by vested interests and turned into a mere transaction for political gains. He praised Damodar Rajanarasimha for spearheading the categorisation efforts, likening him to Babu Jagjivan Ram, who worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the community. He also emphasized that Justice Shameem Akhtar’s study was based on empirical data, ensuring justice for all SC communities.
