With about 100 backward castes taking war path against the TDP government for initiating steps to accord Backward caste status to Kapus, chief minister Chandrababu Naidu began damage control exercise today.

Addressing a huge gathering of BCs the CM  said the TDP government would never do injustice to these socially oppressed communities, which were being ruined by to globalization. In a bid assuage the hurt sentiments of BCs, he said BCs were the backbone to the Telugu Desam party.

While party MLA from Telangna R. Krishaniah has launched mobilization of all BC castes to put pressure on TDP government to desist from extending reservation for Kapus, Naidu today organized a BC loan mela at Vijayawada. The loan mela was meant to reassure the BCs that there won’t be any dilution of BC reservations. He said he was aware of the threat to the caste occupations posed by the globalization. He reminded the gathering of the BC communities that it was the TDP government that took steps to waive the loans of weavers to the tune of Rs 110 crore. ” It is decided that government would procure the cloth produced by the weavers providing 50 per cent subsidy. Government would encourage handloom cloth for all governmental purposes,” he said.

During lean days, he said, government was providing Rs 2000 to the fishers as compensation and the government also set apart Rs 187 crore for the welfare of fishers.

He recalled how he introduced Aadarana scheme during his first stint as the chief minister. Naidu announced a slew of new measures for the BC such as strengthening the finance corporations of BC, setting up of coaching centres for BC students who want appears for IIT and IIM entrance tests, sending BC students abroad for higher studies, fellowships for BC Ph D scholars etc.

He said he had assured justice to Kapus with the clear mind that it should not be at the cost of BCs. Stating that some forces were trying to incite caste and regional conflicts, Naidu cautioned them not to fall prey to the politics.