At Kapu Job Mela in Andhra, Turn Up Only If You Belong to That Caste

About 150 companies, including some big ones like Deloitte and Tata Consultancy are camping in Vijayawada to pick the best job aspirants from just one community - Kapu.

At a three-day mega job mela held at a college campus there from October 19-21 the Andhra Pradesh State Kapu Welfare and Development Corporation is asking candidates from the Kapu caste to come forward and apply for jobs.

"If you are a young Kapu looking for a job, then attend the mela and make use of the opportunity created by CM Chandrababu Naidu," says the banner.

Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chinarajappa, who inaugurated the job mela in Vijayawada on Wednesday, said the government is committed to the welfare of the community. Over the three days, the companies are expected to absorb over 10,000 students.

But others are questioning - most of them privately, considering the political clout of the Kapu community who number more than 25% of the population in AP - the very concept, saying it will create caste conflict.

"This is nothing but mere politics. If the government is genuinely interested in creating jobs then it should look into all communities and identify those who are in need. What is happening now will only create bitterness between communities," says Jaya Prakash Narayana, political analyst and chief of the Loksatta Party.

Earlier in January, an agitation by Kapu community seeking inclusion in the Backward Classes category turned violent at Tuni where protesters went on a rampage setting on fire a passenger train, police station and private vehicles.

Since then, the government has been making efforts to meet their various demands, the main one being to include Kapus in the list of Backward Castes. The job mela is seen as an attempt to buy some time and peace.

"The Kapus are demanding inclusion in the BC quota, but that state government is not doing anything. They are trying to dilute the issue. It's not right on the part of the government to use caste for political advantage," says YSR Congress MLA Shrikanth Reddy.

Those who are against the Vijayawada event say that though they were very much in favour of social justice for the Kapus they are against caste-based job mela which create unncessary divisions.