CPI demands SC categorisation in Telugu States

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has demanded that the Centre immediately categorize Scheduled Caste reservations in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh States. CPI national general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy addressed a letter to Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu in this regard on Wednesday. He stated in the letter that the argument of a few other vocal sections of SCs that the categorization would divide the SCs was not valid. The CPI leader said Justice Usha Mehra Commission had recommended that the States may be given the choice on the issue, he reminded. The BJP, Congress, TDP, TRS, CPI, CPI(M) had all agreed for categorization of SC reservations. Even the united Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and later the Telangana Legislative Assembly unanimously passed resolutions, requesting the Union government to bring necessary amendments for the categorization of SCs. Suravaram also pointed out that the Dalits were fighting relentlessly for the past two decades on the issue and they were holding a 22-day-long dharna before Parliament to bring it to the attention of the nation, he said. He urged the Union Minister to take an initiative and take steps in this regard under the NDA government.