Explained | What is Madiga community, why it's hogging limelight in Telangana poll?

The assembly election in the Indian state of Telangana will take place on November 30 to elect all 119 members of the legislative assembly. The results of this election will be declared on December 3. Some of the core issues in this election are employment creation, welfare schemes, and the farming sector. However, one core issue is the Madiga community, which has been demanding internal reservations within the Scheduled Caste (SC) category.

On Friday (Nov 24), Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the Cabinet Secretary and other officials and instructed them to expedite the process of sub-categorisation in reservation for the Madigas, a report by the news agency ANI said.

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Sources told ANI that Prime Minister Modi also ordered officials to expedite the committee formation for reservation to the community.

Who are the Madigas?

The Madiga community is a Telugu caste, mainly living in the southern states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. However, Madigas also live in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Odisha. The community has historically worked in handicraft, leatherwork, tannery, and agriculture. But over the years, Madigas have also taken up roles in the world of politics, government services, and education.

The Indian government categorises the community within the SC category. There are various sub-castes within Madigas. As per the 2011 census, the Madiga community in the undivided Andhra Pradesh (before the creation of Telangana in 2014) constituted more than 48 per cent of the SC population. 

The formation of the MRPS and its demands

With an aim to implement internal reservation within the SCs, the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) was established in July 1994 in Edumudi village, Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, under the leadership of Manda Krishna Madiga and others.

The MRPS is one of the biggest constituents of scheduled castes in Telugu states. It has held several protests, and mass rallies to publicise the demand for sub-classification within SC. 

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According to a report by The Wire, the MRPS has been pushing for what is called the ‘rationalisation of reservations’, or ‘categorisation’, to make sure that each Dalit group gets to benefit from reservations commensurate with their population in their respective states.

For over 30 years, the MRPS has been demanding sub-categorisation of reservations for the SC communities.

Since 2013, Prime Minister Modi has closely interacted with Manda Krishna Madiga. Following a meeting with Madiga, PM Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its 2014 manifesto promised internal reservations, ANI reported.

Ahead of Telangana poll, BJP's move to woo Madigas

Weeks before the assembly election in Telangana, Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally in Secunderabad on Nov 11 which was organised by the MRPS. During the rally, Modi said that the central government would soon form a committee that would adopt all possible ways to empower the Madiga community. Modi said the committee would address the categorisation of SCs. 

Modi was seen consoling Krishna Madiga at the rally and said, "I have not come here to seek anything from you. I have come here to apologise for all the political parties which deceived you after Independence."

Here's a look at the video

"My brother Krishna, you have got many aides in your struggle (in the fight for the rights of the Magida community). From today, you have one more (friend)," the prime minister added. Modi also hit out at the previous governments in Telangana that failed to consider the rights of the Madiga community.

"In these 10 years, the Telangana government has only betrayed everyone including the Madiga community. Congress put hurdles when Telangana was about to be formed but when, after so many sacrifices Telangana was formed, BRS leaders forgot you people and went and thanked Congress leaders," he said.

"During agitation, you were promised that a Dalit person would be made the CM of Telangana but after the state's formation, KCR (K. Chandrashekar Rao) sat in the chair of CM by crushing the dreams of Dalit people..." Modi added.

The prime minister also said his government would soon constitute a committee that would adopt all possible ways of empowering the Madigas. "The BJP made the laws about the atrocities on SCs and STs stricter. We ensured that the poor got a bank account, a gas connection, toilets, homes, etc. In all these schemes, the people from SC, ST and OBC were given the most benefit," he added.

"You (people) have seen a lot of governments in the country. Our government's highest priority is to give preference to those who are deprived. BJP's mantra is Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas," he also said during the rally. 

(With inputs from agencies)