YS Jagan Plays Peace Maker In Trouble-Torn Garagaparru

* Though the village has been simmering over caste tensions and though the Dalits were suffering social ostracism for over two months, neither the Chief Minister nor any TDP leader nor any official bothered to visit the village.

* Ahead of YS Jagan’s visit, the administration went into a tizzy and arrested three persons.

YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday paid a visit to trouble-torn Garagaparru in Palakoderu mandal of West Godavari district, which is in the eye of the storm over the clash between the Dalits and non-Dalits over the installation of Ambedkar statue.

Playing peace-maker in the tension ridden village, YS Jagan met both the sections of the village. He told the non-Dalits, who turned out in large numbers, that he wanted both the sections to stay united. He said acts of omission or commission of one of two persons should not be attributed to the whole village. He counselled them that it was important to stay united and stay together.

Responding to YS Jagan's appeal, the non-Dalit sections said that they wanted peaceful co-existence with everyone and that they had no objection to the installation of Ambedkar statue in the village.

Later, YS Jagan went to the Dalit habitation and spoke to them. The Dalits said that they had no clash with the other castes for over 50 years. They also said that Chandrababu Naidu or local TDP leadership or even the district administration have not bothered to solve the issue though tensions have been simmering for over three months.

YS Jagan said that the Dalits should be given compensation as per the SC ST Atrocities Act and wanted both the groups to forget, forgive and forge ahead. Responding to YS Jagan's plea, the Dalits said that they were opposed to only those who tried to suppress them and that they had no problem with the others.

Later, YS Jagan formed a three member committee comprising Sarraju, Koyye Moshen Raju and M Nagarjuna to protect and preserve harmony among various groups in the village.