Pittapuram (East Godavari dist), July 31: Lambasting Chandrababu Naidu, TDP and what he called TDP’s friendly media for distorting his statement, YSR Congress President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has resolutely said that he stands for reservations for Kapus.
‘What I have told at Jaggampet public meeting was that the issue of reservations to Kapus is in the purview of Central government due to the verdict of Supreme Court. I also assured that I will allocate Rs 10,000 crores for Kapu Corporation unlike Chandrababu Naidu who had promised to allocate Rs 5,000 cores and released pittance,’ the Leader of Opposition said while addressing a public meeting as part of the Praja Sankalpa Yatra here on Tuesday.
Jagan sought to clarify the party’ stand on Kapu quota as his earlier statement drew the ire of the leaders of the community. Mudragada Padmanabham, leader of Kapu reservation agitation, who is generally perceived as Jagan’s man, cried foul over statement and said in no uncertain terms that Jagan was no longer friend of Kapus. TDP also joined the bandwagon and called Jagan a cheat.
Against this backdrop Jagan said it was Chandrababu Naidu, not he, who had cheated on the people, more so the Kapu community.
“Despite Supreme Court verdict which said quota cannot exceed 50 % in any state, Naidu had announced reservations to the Kapu community in government jobs and education. After winning the election he forgot the promise like all other promises. When there was a stir by Kapu community and I had expressed solidarity with the community elders, Chandrababu Naidu had hurriedly passed a resolution in the Assembly and sent it to the Centre without even waiting for Manjunath Committee’s report. This also shows how insincere he is,” Jagan said.
“Chandrababu Naidu announced Rs 5,000 for the Kapu Corporation but had in fact released only Rs 1,340 crore. I announced Rs 10,000 crore for a period of five years. Now facts are before you and decide as to who is the cheat,” he said.
Reassuring the Kapus Jagan categorially said he was firm on the reservations to Kapus and was not in the habit of taking a U-turn like Chandrababu Naidu.