It looks like retired IPS officer from Telangana R S Praveen Kumar, who opted for voluntary retirement from the government service early this week, is not content with just entering politics to serve the Dalits, but has much bigger plans.
It was evident from his speech at a meeting in Sangareddy district on Friday night.
He went aggressive against the present political system, even as the audiences comprising the activists of his Swaero movement cheered him with slogans: “Future CM, Zindabad.”
He said he had resigned from his service only to achieve power to the marginalised sections, who had been only confined to voting for upper castes.
“There has been no improvement in our lives even after 75 years of Independence. We need to change this,” he said.
Taking an indirect dig at TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the retired IPS officer said: “Don’t entertain leaders who had promised in the past to make Dalit as the chief minister to garner our voters. They will cheat us again with such false promises. Don’t allow them to ask for votes”.
Praveen Kumar asserted that the marginalised sections should strive for grabbing power from upper castes.
“If not now, we can never get this opportunity to come to power even after 1,000 years. Only we grab power, we shall get the real development,” he said.
The retired IPS officer went on to target the ruling TRS leaders and the government.
“There are as many as 29 Dalit MLAs in the state assembly. What are these so-called leaders doing when people belonging to weaker sections and marginalised sections are facing injustice in the government?” he asked.
Praveen Kumar also took pot shots at KCR for the launch of Dalit Bandhu scheme in Huzurabad.
“It doesn’t serve any purpose. Instead of spending Rs 1,000 crore on Dalit Bandhu, if the chief minister spends the same on the social welfare schools across the state, it would change the future of thousands of students,” he said.
Though Praveen Kumar made his political intentions clear, he did not give any hint as to how he would enter politics.
In all probability, he may float a new regional party with an objective of political empowerment of Dalits. Alternatively, he might take over the Telangana unit of Bahujan Samaj Party.