YS Jagan Reaches Out To BC Community in Gudipudi

Guntur: Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh Assembly and YSR Congress Party President, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy pledged his unconditional support to the needy after his party comes into power. Speaking at a massive BC Community interactive outreach programme at Gudipudi in Guntur district as part of Praja Sankalpa Yatra, he said that people had seen enough of cheating and manipulation under the Chandrababu regime. He pointed out that uplifting people from the clutches of poverty and educating them would be the best example of development.

The YSRCP Chief said he was happy to be taking part in the BC Community interaction programme. He told the massive gathering that over the last four years, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu had not done nothing the people. "Is there a need to elect such leader again? Though he claims development as his agenda, when you compare my father late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy's rule in the state with that of the present rule, we can clearly see the lack of development. No one in the state is happy over the last four years," he mentioned.

YS Jagan also criticised the AP CM of making tall claims in the election manifesto and told that the manifesto was a book of various photo opportunities of the TDP Chief with different people from the BC community. Wasn’t it unfair to have not fulfilled a single promise made in the election manifesto, he asked.

The YSRCP President informed that during the last four years of TDP rule in the state more damage than good had been done. "TDP election manifesto claimed that few weaker sections would be included in ST and SC category. However, when questioned about it now, Chandrababu says that it is not under the state's purview and the Centre has to take a decision," he said. YS Jagan said that despite 40 years of political experience, Chandrababu had no clue of who was the decision maker on community categorisation. Or was it just an act to cheat and manipulate people? he questioned.

The YSRCP President made it clear that mere distribution of a few iron boxes and scissors won’t prove one’s love for the BC community. Improving their lives was more important and this would happen only when their people are educated and people from their community become doctors, engineers and collectors, he observed and added that education for their children shouldn't leave them in debts or make them penniless.

YS Jagan mentioned that the importance of education was clearly understood by his father late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy. "He knew that a poor family could get into debt trap because of two important things - education and healthcare. During his period as the state CM, no poor man struggled to get his children educated. But the situation now is not the same. People have to shell out Rs one lakh per year for engineering education, while the government gives a meager sum of Rs 35,000 as fee reimbursement. So this means a poor man has to borrow loans to get his children educated," he told at the interactive outreach programme which was attended by men, women and youth.

Narrating an incident that had moved him emotionally, the YSRCP Chief said, "In Nellore a poor man wanted his son to study engineering. He got him admitted into an engineering college. To meet the expenses he took a loan of Rs 70,000 in the first year. Was unable to repay, but took another loan in the second year. Looking at the problems that his father was facing, the engineering student committed suicide. On hearing about this incident, I am emotionally very disturbed."

The Leader of the Opposition assured people that he would support poor families wanting to get their children educated. He said that once the people’s party comes to power, the poor can let their wards choose their favourite courses without having to worry about exorbitant fee. Our government will support not only the student but also the family, he asserted and informed that Rs 20,000 per year would be given to the students staying in hostels.

Stressing on the importance of a good foundation, YS Jagan said that it was important that children attended schools from a young age. He pointed out that it was the responsibility of the mothers to send their children to schools daily and such mothers would be given Rs 15,000 every year when YSRCP comes to power.

He slammed the insensitive TDP government over not hiking the old age pension. Even to avail that pension, old people would have to bribe the Janma Bhoomi committee members in villages, he lamented. YS Jagan also promised to bring down the age limit for pension from the existing 65 years to 60 years while the amount would be Rs 2,000 per month.

Also, the YSRCP President stated that the age limit for women's pension would be reduced to 45 years while the amount would be Rs 2,000 per month. He also sought suggestions form the huge gathering assembled at the meeting on welfare schemes that could benefit the needy. YS Jagan promised to include all those in the next election manifesto titled Navarathnalu, which would be just two pages. Only the things which we would adhere to would be put in the manifesto, he added.