Kapu reservation passed by Andhra state Assembly

After almost three decades of struggle Kapus in Andhra Pradesh have finally got reservation under backward classes (BCs).

The Andhra Pradesh state Assembly on Saturday passed a bill extending 5% reservation to Kapus and three other communities - Ontari, Balija and Telaga - in education, government sector and other economic benefits. However there will be no political reservations accruing to these four castes.

The state cabinet on Friday discussed the recommendations submitted by a three-member BC commision headed by Justice K.L.Manjunath.

The majority of the committee favoured 4-5% of reservations for Kapus. Following the cabinet decision the government introduced the Kapu reservation (draft) Bill in a special session in Amaravati.

The bill  will be sent to the Council for assent.

The bill will be sent to the home ministry urging it to enact legislation in parliament and include it in schedule IX of the constitution as the total reservations in the state will reach 55%.

As of now backward classes A, B, C, D, E categories in AP are receiving 29 % of reservations meant for Bcs. Kapus and three other communities have been kept under a newly created category "F".

Kapu ministers in AP cabinet including Deputy CM Chinnarajappa have praised Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu for fulfilling the TDP's   poll time promise in 2014 to provide reservations to Kapus.

It was on 31 January 2016 that the former TDP MP Mudragada Padmanabham led Kapu reservation agitation which turned violent and the entire Ratnachal express, and Tuni police station in East Godavari district were burnt by the agitators.

In later months Kapu patriarch Mudragada tried to start a massive agitation demanding reservation for Kapus. The state government however waited for the BC commission's report as other BC communities expressed displeasure as Kapus are economically and socially much advanced to them.