Tue Feb 25 15:16:49 UTC 2025: **Hyderabad Health Minister Performs Symbolic Gesture, Announces Aid for Madiga Community**
HYDERABAD, February 25, 2025 – In a symbolic gesture, Telangana Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha today washed the feet of family members of Madiga community youth who died during a two-decade-long agitation for sub-categorization within the Scheduled Caste reservation system. The act followed the Congress government’s fulfillment of the long-standing demand, despite facing obstacles.
Mr. Rajanarsimha, himself a member of the Madiga community, participated in a commemoration meeting for the “Madiga martyrs.” He also presented each family with ₹5 lakh in financial assistance. Several other Congress MLAs and officials were present at the event.
The Minister emphasized the agitation’s origins in inequalities within the SC caste, urging against politicizing the issue. He expressed the Madiga community’s enduring gratitude to the families of those who lost their lives. He praised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s swift action in forming a committee to address the sub-categorization following Supreme Court approval, highlighting it as a bold move that will be remembered historically. Mr. Rajanarsimha also encouraged public support for the sub-categorization, citing a thorough one-man commission report aligned with Supreme Court guidelines. A state law is expected to be passed soon to implement the changes, benefiting the Madiga and other sub-castes in employment opportunities.
First Piper 