Telangana Jagruthi President K Kavitha is on a day-long hunger strike at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park, pressing for the installation of a statue of revered social reformer Jyotirao Phule in the Telangana Legislative Assembly premises.
The protest by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC came after several appeals to the Speaker and the Congress state government were ignored.
Her hunger strike started at 11 am and will last until 5 pm.
Support for Ms Kavitha's agitation poured in from all quarters. Representatives from backward class (BC) associations, doctors, lawyers, student groups, and civil society members gathered in solidarity, echoing the call for recognition of Mr Phule's legacy and a stronger push for the rights of backward classes.
Telangana Jagruthi, under Ms Kavitha's leadership, has already conducted 14 roundtable meetings across the State to highlight their issues and press for reservations. Ms Kavitha has been consistently demanding the implementation of the Kamareddy BC Declaration, a key electoral promise made by the Congress party during the Assembly elections.
Jyotirao Phule (1827-1890) was a social reformer, writer, and activist, best known for championing the cause of education for women and backward classes. He, along with his wife Savitribai Phule, opened the first school for girls in India in 1848.
Phule fought against caste-based discrimination and untouchability, advocating for equal rights and dignity for all. He also founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) to promote social equality.
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