Meeting with Mr Manda Krishna Madiga
On 30 October 2024, academicians Dr Srinivas Panthukala, a faculty member in the Department of Communication, The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) and Dr S Swaroop Sirapangi met Mr Manda Krishna Madiga at his Hyderabad residence in the evening. Even though Mr Manda Krishna Madiga was very busy with his prolonged meetings with various student leaders of Osmania University and other civil society activists, he was very interested in interacting with both academicians. Some Osmania University student leaders were present during this meeting, such as Mr Shekar Kommu, Telangana Official Spokesperson for Madiga Students' Federation (MSF); Dr Sarath Naliganti, Prasanth, etc. Student leaders and civil society activists from various political and ideological affiliations were present.
I
When both the academicians met Mr Manda Krishna Madiga, he was having prolonged interactions on action plans for practical achievement of Scheduled Castes reservation Classification in Telugu States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. On this occasion, both academicians congratulated Mr Manda Krishna Madiga for his renewed actions and plan work-out in light of the recent Supreme Court of India verdict on how Scheduled Castes reservation is classifiable and how such a step does not violate any constitutional norms and spirit.
On this occasion, some of the student leaders from Osmania University recollected and informed Mr Manda Krishna Madiga how Dr Srinivas Panthukala's documentary on the 'Dandora' movement has received tremendous response and recognition from the academic quarters of the Communication discipline. Mr Manda Krishna Madiga, too, was well aware of Mr Srinivas Panthukala's documentary work. Also, Dr S Swaroop Sirapangi's student leadership contribution as one of the prime leaders of the Dalit Students' Union (DSU) at the University of Hyderabad was well recollected in the light of the recent Students' Union election and the triumphant victory of Mr Ambedkar as University President on behalf of the DSU and other alliance partners. Mr Manda Krishna Madiga well recognised and appreciated the DSU student politics. He noted that DSU has been playing careful student politics in alliances and coalitions over the years, and as a result, the present victory was recorded.
II
The later part of the meeting significantly touched upon how academic institutions are working to protect and promote the rights of Scheduled Castes employees in general and Madiga employees in particular. In this instance, both the academicians who had good experience from student politics onwards about academic institutions and discriminatory practices - well narrated some of the few latest incidents in Central Universities and State Private Universities on what kind of discriminative practices Scheduled Caste and Madiga employees are facing. And how constitutional and law enforcing agencies like the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), State Commissions for Scheduled Castes (SCSC), police investigation process, judicial delinquent modes, administrative procrastination techniques, etc. aspects were also highlighted by both the academicians.
In this discussion and narration, student leaders and civil society activists who also wish to become future employees and leaders listened carefully. Mr Manda Krishna Madiga noted prevailing modern discriminative practices in academic institutions concerning Scheduled Caste and Madiga employees and promised to update these forms of prevailing practices primarily to the Madiga Employees Federation (MEF) leaders and other political and constitutional functionaries. Mr Manda Krishna Madiga also suggested informing the leaders of the MEF about the modern forms of discriminatory practices in academic institutions and friendly suggested to work closely with them to combat such practices. He noted that democratic work should be continued to make academic institutions cultivate discriminations free working environment.
Some of the photos from this meeting are as follows:
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