Manda Krishna: Rebel with a cause
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Decades long activism of the Madiga leader paid off when the Supreme Court gave a historic verdict that the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes can be divided into sub-groups
What started as a small movement for the sub-categorisation of the Scheduled Castes in united Andhra Pradesh three decades ago in a small village of Eedumudi in Prakasam district has come to centre stage after the Supreme Court earlier this month gave a historic verdict that the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes can be divided into sub-groups for the purpose of reservations and employment.
The man credited with this achievement is 59-year-old Manda Eliah, more popularly known as Manda Krishna ‘Madiga’, founder of the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS), the movement that rocked A.P. for years causing tension to the Governments headed by Chief Ministers of those times, be it Nedurumilli Janardhan Reddy, Kotla Vijayabhasakara Reddy, N. Chandrababu Naidu and Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy.
Born to Manda Kommuraiah and Manda Kommuramma on July 7, 1965 in Shayampet near Hanamkonda of Warangal district in Telangana, Mr. Krishna was a rebel fighting for the cause of the downtrodden, particularly the Madigas among the SCs. His grouse was always against the dominant Malas among the SCs, who he claimed had cornered Government jobs and dominated the educational field by enjoying the quota for Dalits.
Why has the Supreme Court upheld States’ right to sub-categorise SCs for quota benefits? | Explained
In his early 20s, Mr. Krishna was attracted to the outlawed People’s War Group (PWG) and briefly worked for the underground party. He followed another PWG leader K.G. Satyamurthy, who was expelled from the party. Mr. Krishna went to Prakasam district where Satyamurthy ran the Marxist Leninist Centre and started working there. During this time, he broached the idea of the injustice to Madigas and wanted the ML Centre to take up the cause.
Failing to get a positive response from the leadership, Mr. Krishna distanced himself from the activities of the group. He and his comrades founded the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) in 1994.
The MRPS, which began on a humble note, was popularly known as Madiga ‘Dandora’ – means announcements made by a Dalit by beating a drum in villages. The MRPS faced a stiff challenge from the rival ‘Mala Mahanadu’ movement, which was against categorisation of SCs. Malas are numerically strong in Andhra Pradesh, while Madigas are the leading numbers among the SCs in Telangana.
Mr. Manda Krishna proved his leadership qualities by organising the first meeting of the MRPS in Hyderabad with lakhs of people at Nizam College grounds in 1996. The meeting turned out to be watershed moment as the MRPS realised that categorisation of the SCs into ‘ABCD’ alone would solve their woes. He never looked back and organised a series of meetings and took out rallies. One such ‘Chalo Assembly’ call given in September 1996 almost brought the then TDP government led by Chandrababu Naidu to its knees as Mr. Krishna refused to leave the Basheerbagh area near the Babu Jagjivan Ram statue till the CM made a categorical announcement on sub-categorisation.
A 50-day ‘Mahapadayatra’ from Naravaripalle (native village of Chandrababu Naidu) to Hyderabad in 1997 saw massive ground swell of support from the Madigas across the 1.052 kms route. The mass contact programme of Manda Krishna during this padayatra made him unparalleled leader of the Madigas. After the Justice Ramachandra Raju submitted the report coinciding with Manda Krishna reaching Hyderabad to conclude his ‘padayatra’, the Government issued orders categorising SCs quota into ABCD categories.
But, the euphoria was short-lived as Mala Mahanadu leaders filed writ petition challenging the government order, and the High Court subsequently suspended the orders on technical grounds. The then AP Government in 1998 issued an ordinance on categorisation. Mala Mahanadu leaders again challenged the ordinance and the Supreme Court dismissed categorisation stating that Parliament alone can pass a Bill to sub-categorise SCs.
An undeterred Mr. Krishna continued his agitation by taking out rallies and his long march from Bengaluru to Hyderabad in 2005 yet again brought the Madigas on to the streets. It was in May 2007, he decided to go on fast unto death. The then Congress Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy got in touch with the Centre and got Justice Usha Mehra Commission appointed.
Justice Usha Mehra toured entire AP interacting with stakeholders and prepared a report but submission was delayed leading to another round of agitational programme but there was no forward movement.
With no tangible result in sight, the unrest among the Madigas rose by each passing day and the Congress Governments in Centre and State became the target. A public meeting addressed by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at Parade Grounds saw protests by MRPS women activists. They barged into party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan in Nampally and set it ablaze. Four MRPS workers sustained burns and one of them succumbed in hospital.
An unfazed Mr. Krishna announced the formation Mahajana Socialist Party in 2014 and in between espoused the cause of children with heart ailments and sufferings of the differently abled. He garnered massive support from these two sections and brought the then Governments to act. Yet, his political foray has been disastrous as his maiden fray to the AP Assembly in 2004 as an independent candidate from Madhira constituency was unsuccessful. Similar attempts from the same seat in 2009 and from Wardhanapet in 2014 too failed.
His coming in touch with the BJP leaders ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending a meeting of the MRPS last year and calling Mr. Krishna as his “younger brother” and hugging him caught the imagination of many.
His perseverance really paid off after when the SC delivered the historic verdict on categorisation. The massive turnout of people to welcome him on his return from New Delhi only established that Manda Krishna is a force to reckon with.
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