YSR Congress Party president and Leader of the Opposition Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy here on Thursday said AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was making a mockery of Dr Ambedkar’s ideals by denying Constitutional benefits to SCs and STs.
Speaking at the 125th birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar at YSRCP headquarters Lotus Pond, Jagan said Chandrababu’s respect for Ambedkar was only a lip service and he never had any genuine commitment to implement the ideals of the father of the Indian Constitution. The negligence on the part of Chandrababu towards Dalits and tribals was evident in his style of governance — more than 50 percent of the funds allotted to SCs and STs were never spent and the tribal advisory committee for the welfare and development of tribals was never constituted, YS Jagan said.
YS Jagan demanded that SCs and STs, who converted to Christianity should not be deprived of reservations only because of their religion. Their economic and social conditions do not change if they converted to Christianity. Their benefits as SCs or STs should continue, irrespective of what religion they follow, he added. (NSS)