AP Assembly passes bill providing 5 pc reservation to Kapu community

Amaravati, Dec 2: The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed the bill, providing five per cent reservation to Kapu community by including them in the BC list. BC Welfare minister K Atchannaidu introduced the bill in the house on Saturday. The Speaker cancelled the question Hour to enable the Minister to introduce the bill in the house. Later a debate was held on the bill and the Assembly has unanimously passed the Kapu reservation bill in the absence of Opposition YSRCP. It may be mentioned here that the Principal Opposition YSRCP was boycotting the entire winter session of the Assembly. Speaking on the bill, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that Justice Manjunath commission had recommended four or five per cent reservation to the Kapu community, but the State government, keeping in view the backwardness of the Kapus, decided to provide five per cent reservation. The Chief Minister said that as the Assembly has passed the Kapu Reservation bill, the same would be sent to the Centre for its consent. He said that the government would try to convince the Centre to approve the bill.  He said that he had personally witnessed the backwardness of Kapus during his marathon padayatra during 2013 and assured them to provide reservation, if the TDP was voted to power. The Chief Minister assured that despite the Kapus be provided reservation under BC Scheduled (F), the BCs would not be meted out injustice in the reservations. Mr Naidu thanked all the members for supporting the bill. UNI