The Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh is likely to withdraw the gazette notification issued last week transferring the Brahmin Welfare Corporation from endowments department to Backward Classes Welfare Department following protests from Brahmin groups.
Sources in the government said the order, which was issued by chief secretary Adityanath Das, would be withdrawn next week, after his retirement on September 30, so as to avoid embarrassment to him.
It is learnt the Jagan government is contemplating creation of a separate department for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), under which the Brahmin Welfare Corporation would be brought.
Along with it, all other corporations for the welfare of Reddys, Kammas, Kapus, Vysyas and other upper castes would also be brought under the new EWS corporation. A decision to this effect would be taken at the next cabinet meeting, sources said.
In fact, the Brahmin welfare corporation, which was first created by the previous Chandrababu Naidu government in December 2014, was initially placed under the BC Welfare Corporation.
Following protests from Brahmin groups, it was brought under the purview of Endowments section of the revenue department in March 2015.
The Jagan government last week decided to bring the Brahmin welfare corporation back into the BC Welfare department due to some legal issues. This has once again triggered unrest among the Brahmins.
Apart from pro-TDP Brahmin leaders like Vemuri Ananda Surya, several other Brahmin groups also resisted the move. Above all, Swamy Swaroopanandendra Swamy of Sri Sarada Peetham of Viskahapatnam, who is known to be pro-Jagan Mohan Reddy, also came under pressure from Brahmins.
As a result, he had to issue a statement, opposing the decision to bring Brahmin welfare corporation into the purview of BC Welfare department.
“We shall discuss the issue with the chief minister’s office to see that the notification is withdrawn,” he said.
It was Swaroopanandendra, who reportedly suggested to the chief minister to withdraw the proposal and instead, create a separate department for EWS and bring all the upper caste welfare corporations under this department.
“We hope to get a positive decision in this regard,” he said.
