For three decades in the joint states of AP and Telangana, the ruling parties as well as the opposition have been raising the issue of SC classification in the context of elections.
BJP mentioned the issue of caste in its 2014 manifesto itself. During YSR's tenure as CM, Akhilapaksha and a special team were taken to Delhi and pressure was put on the then central government. After the formation of Telangana, the BRS government also passed a resolution. šļø
On June 1, 1965, the Central Government appointed an Advisory Committee under the chairmanship of the then Secretary of the Ministry of Social Justice, BN Lokur, on the benefits of reservation for the sub-groups of Dalits. It has been suggested that the report should be submitted within three months. The committee has received written comments from the communities that some of the castes and tribes in the SC and ST list do not need to receive many benefits of the government, including reservation, as they have become socially and economically strong. There was a demand to remove Malas from the SC list in Andhra Pradesh. The then MPHC Heda also explained to the committee that the Mala caste should be removed from the SC list. The Committee refused to do so and explained various reasons in its report submitted on August 25, 1965.
