Condemning the desecration of Dr. B R Ambedkar's statues at
Amalapuram in East Godavari district, Minister for Rural Development D Manikya Vara Prasad here on Monday that the government would draft modalities for establishing statues of national leaders at prominent places, soon.
He was talking to media persons after attending a meeting of SC/ST Ministers, MLAs and MLCs, held in the chambers of Minister for Primary Education S Sailajanath, in the Assembly premises.
Manikya Vara Prasad said that the meeting had unanimously decided to draft rules and regulations for the installation of statues.
Expressing concern over the growing culture of installing statues in the state, he said that people were even ready to install statues of "rowdies and factionist leaders" in some areas.
"The problem cropped up mainly due to a lack of an adequate policy on statues in the state. Statues can be installed 25 years after a particular leader's death, to recall their services to the community, state or nation," he added.
Major Industries Minister J Geetha Reddy said that the meeting would appeal to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to install bronze statues in Amalapuram where Dr. Ambedkar's statues were desecrated.
She said that she wanted non-bailable cases to be booked against the perpetrators of the acts.
She said the meeting would request Kiran Kumar Reddy to spend a major share of funds for SC/ST welfare without diverting funds reserved for them.
She also said that the meeting would appeal to the party to take steps towards protecting the SC/ST vote bank in the state.
Minister for Animal Husbandry Vishwaroop, Government whip Kondru Murali Mohan, MLAs and MLCs also attended the meeting. (INN)