AP: Brahmin body angry for placing community under Backward Classes welfare dept

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has come under criticism for placing Brahmins under the Backward Classes Welfare Department.

On September 23, the AP government released a gazette notification placing Brahmin Welfare Corporation into the Backward Classes Department, sparking controversy and agitation among the community over its clubbing with the Backward Classes section.

Previously, the Brahmin Welfare Corporation was looked after by the Endowment Department, which has now been placed under the Backward Classes Corporation after former AP chief secretary Adityanath Das released gazette notification.

As per the latest notification, necessary amendments will be made to the second schedule of the  Andhra Pradesh Government Business Rules, 2018, Hindustan Times reported.

Speaking about the notification, the chief secretary said, “The decision was taken to improve the synergy among various welfare corporations and make it part of Economically Weaker Sections Corporations in the BC welfare department.”

Expressing his displeasure over the notification placing Brahmins and OBCs in one bracket, the former AP Brahmin Welfare Corporation chairman Vemoori Ananda Surya called out the AP government over the move and said, “This is not only insulting the Brahmin community but also an attempt to create differences between Brahmins and OBCs. Before the last assembly elections, the YSRC had promised to allot ₹1,000 crores for Brahmin welfare in every budget and construct Brahmin Bhavans in every district. Instead of honoring the promise, the Jagan government is clubbing the Brahmin welfare with that of the OBCs”.

The former chairman warned of statewide agitation if the notification is not withdrawn. The notification has angered a number of Brahmin leaders. The former TDP government led by N Chandrababu Naidu placed the AP Brahmin Welfare Corporation under the Backward Classes Welfare Department as per the Government Order No. 11 dated December 8, 2014.

Subsequently, the Naidu government transferred the Brahmin welfare corporation into the Revenue (endowments) department in March 2015, following protests from the Brahmin community.