PTI

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh dalit maha sabha general secretary Katti Padma Rao on Monday demanded a separate Andhra state with Vijayawada as its capital.

Speaking to newspersons in Vijaywada, Rao, who is also state unit general secretary of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), said any area could be developed when people were near to the state capital and this was even enuniciated by late Dr B R ambedkar.

He said despite natural resources available in the coastal belt it was industrially very backward and alleged that at the same time "more educational institutions were set up by a particular community, who in turn enjoy power at the state capital leaving SCs and STs unemployed".

"Unless there is polarisation of all communities, Andhra area will not develop", he said.

Rao demanded a proportionate representation based on population for development of any area.

http://www.timesofindia.com/today/26mhyd1.htm Separate Andhra state demanded

VIJAYAWADA: The general secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Dalit Mahasabha, Katti Padma Rao on Monday demanded a separate Andhra state with Vijayawada as its capital.

Speaking to reporters here, Rao, who is also the state unit general secretary of the Bahujan Samaj Party, he said that despite the natural resources available in the coastal belt, the region was industrially backward.

He alleged that a particular community having access to power in Hyderabad was depriving SCs and STs of jobs.

Padma Rao also urged the Union government to permit him to present a paper on caste discrimination in India at a world conference to be held in Durban, South Africa in August.

Rao said the conference was being organised by the International Forum of Human Rights Organisation to enable delegates from various countries to discuss racial discrimination and xenophobia.

He said the government of India did not want issues such as caste discrimination discussed at the international forum.

Padma Rao said untouchability was still rampant in India, with about 20 crore people looked down upon as untouchables.

"When economic issues affecting the country could be discussed on international fora, why shouldn't caste discrimination discussed," he asked.

The Dalit leader said a forty-page document listing various incidents of discrimination against SC and STs has been prepared for presentation at the Durban conference. (Agencies)