Modi promises a panel in SC community outreach

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government was committed to the categorisation of Scheduled Castes (SC) for the implementation of reservation, and announced that a panel would be constituted to look into the issue.

- Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

Addressing a rally at Secunderabad parade grounds in pollbound Telangana, the prime minister said the BJP would stand by the long-drawn legal battle of the Madigas, a Dalit community, seeking categorisation of scheduled castes. "We shall extend all help to the Madigas in their legal battle. The government would appoint a committee to look into the demand of the Madigas for categorisation of SCs and ensure justice to the downtrodden sections among the SCs," Modi said.

The rally was organised by the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS), an organisation fighting for SC categorisation.

Modi said his government functions on the concept of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" and draws inspiration from leaders like BR Ambedkar and poets like Gurram Joshua who had fought for the betterment of Dalits. "People have witnessed several governments since Independence and they can see the difference between previous governments and my government. The parties that ruled the country in the past had promised to do justice to the Dalits, but they betrayed them," he said.