EAST GODAVARI: State Minister for Agriculture & Cooperation, Marketing, Food Processing, Kursala Kannababu said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was the only leader who truly supported the cause of the Kapu community. The State government on Thursday dropped all the 176 cases, pending against the activists of the Kapu community, involved in connection with the 2016 train burning case that took place in Tuni at East Godavari district.

Speaking to the media at Karpa in East Godavari district after the announcement was made, the Minister thanked the Chief Minister for issuing orders withdrawing cases filed against Kapu leaders. He said that the Kapu community was truly indebted to the Chief Minister. He recalled that during the TDP rule the Kapus were ill-treated and were portrayed as anti-social elements and harassed.

Kakinada SEZ farmers were also been subjected to similar insults and false cases were foisted against them and were put in jail, he alleged. Not just that, the farmers were made to clean toilets and the credit for such atrocious acts goes only to Chandrababu Naidu, he said. Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham and his family members were harassed, humiliated and false cases were filed against women, he recalled.

Speaking further he reminded that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised before the General Elections that all cases against the Kapus would be dropped if the YSRCP came to power and that steps would be taken to withdraw 163 cases by 2020. In the recent GO issue, another 161 cases were lifted. The Chief Minister responded positively to their request to withdraw the cases made against SEZ farmers during the previous government and a Government Order would be issued shortly, he said.

Kurasala Kannababu said that the Chief Minister had come out with many welfare schemes for the welfare of the Kapus. The YSRP Kapu Nestham for the welfare of Kapu women, where financial assistance of Rs 15,000 was extended to them.

The AP State government on Thursday dropped all the cases, pending against hundreds of activists of Kapu community, in connection with the 2016 train burning case that took place in Tuni Railway station in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. “The state government is withdrawing all the cases registered against the protesters in the public interest and to maintain peace and security in the state, as per director general of police (DGP) Gautam Sawang’s recommendations,” said state principal secretary (home) Kumar Vishwajeet, in an order. “In total, 329 cases were registered in connection with the Kapu reservation agitation from January 2016 to March 2019. Of these, 153 cases were disposed in the last two years – some through withdrawal and others by the courts at the lower level,” said the home secretary. Out of the 176 cases left, the state government has now decided to withdraw charges against the Kapu agitators in 161 cases and another 14 are also being processed, the order read.

Also Read: Focus On Quality Healthcare In Tribal Areas: AP CM YS Jagan To Officials