The Madiga leader argued that based on backwardness, Madigas deserve more than the 9 percent quota allotted, as they've received less than 4 percent historically. He claimed advanced castes in Group I unfairly took resources from the most backward sub-castes.
Published Feb 05, 2025 | 7:53 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 05, 2025 | 7:53 PM
Manda Krishna Madiga (Supplied)
Synopsis: Manda Krishna Madiga, founder of MRPS, criticised the sub-categorisation of SCs, claiming injustice to Madigas. Reacting to the one-man commission’s report on reservation redistribution, he argued that Madigas, with a population of 32.33 lakh, deserve 11 percent reservations, not the 9 percent allotted. He questioned why Malas, with a smaller population, receive 5 percent, emphasising the unfairness in the allocation.
Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) founder-chairman Manda Krishna Madiga on Wednesday, 5 February, cried foul over the injustice done to the Madigas in the sub-categorisation of the Scheduled Castes.
Reacting to the report tabled by the one-man commission constituted to re-distribute the 15 percent reservations allotted to the SCs among their sub-castes, Krishna Madiga, who fought for the sub-categorisation of SCs to ensure justice to Madigas, said that there was an unseen conspiracy to perpetuate the injustice to Madigas. “We should get 11 percent of the total reservations and not nine percent,” he said.
He said that in accordance with the population of the Madigas, they should get 11 percent of the reservations. If their backwardness is taken into account, they should still get more than the nine percent allocated to them in the report.
Speaking to media persons, Krishna Madiga said: “We have not got the quota that we deserve. If the one-man commission headed by Justice Shameem Akhtar had taken into consideration population, Madigas were 32.33 lakh while Malas were only 15.23 lakh. If this is the case how can Malas, who are 15.23 lakh, get five percent, and how can Madigas, who are more than double the population of the Malas, not get 11 percent?”
The Madiga leader argued that if backwardness were the sole criterion, Madigas should receive more than the 9 percent quota allotted, as they’ve never been allocated more than 4 percent in the current reservation system. He also pointed out that even in Group I, meant for the most backward SC sub-castes, more advanced castes were included, effectively reducing the share meant for the truly disadvantaged.
The Shameem Akhtar Commission divided SCs into three groups: Group I for the most backward (1 percent), Group II for Madigas (9 percent), and Group III for Malas (5 percent). The leader questioned, “How can Madigas, with a population of 32.33 lakh, only get 9 percent?”
The Madiga leader, pointing out another anomaly, said that some of the sub-castes which were quite advanced found their way into Group I, meant for the most backward of the SCs. “For instance, the Pambala (Mala) sub-caste, to which BR Ambedkar Open University vice-chancellor Ghanta Chakrapani belongs, has been brought into Group I. The caste does not have more than 1,000 population, but about 100 of them have got employment, including Chakrapani and a few of his family members who are professors.”
This way, an insidious attempt was made by Malas to rob the benefits that should go to the most backward of the SCs. Another advanced sub-caste, Manne, has also been moved to Group I, meant for the most backward of the SC sub-castes.
Krishna Madiga said the injustice done to the Madigas was deliberate and premeditated. “MLA Gaddam Vivek, who belongs to the Mala caste, has ensured that his caste men got undue advantage and thus succeeded in championing the cause of the Malas. But Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha, who belongs to the Madiga caste, failed to protect the interests of the Madigas. Similarly, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who was aware of the injustice that was being done to the Madigas, allowed it to happen.”
He demanded that in the cabinet expansion that may take place in the future, Damodar Rajanarasimha should be eased out, and two Madigas should be taken in. “We do not want someone like Rajanarasimha in the cabinet who cannot protect the interests of the Madigas,” he said, and pointed out that he has evidence that Revanth Reddy was aware of the injustice.
“On Tuesday, 4 February, Revanth Reddy, before leaving for the Assembly, had a meeting with one Madiga leader and spoke to another Madiga leader over the phone, requesting them to bear with him as injustice, to some extent, has been done to Madigas and that they should understand,” he said.
Krishna Madiga stated that it’s not too late for the government to address the errors in the sub-categorisation of SCs. While he welcomed the state government’s efforts to support the Madigas, he noted that something went wrong during the process, leading to injustice, which he believes should be corrected.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
