Munnurukapu Movement in Hyderabad State

Munnurukapu Movement

There was no non-Brahmin or Backward Classes movement in Hyderabad State. This is because the administrative service of the former Hyderabad State was dominated by Muslims. In the absence of Brahmin dominance, there was no scope for a non-Brahmin movement in the State. Hyderabad State was affected by the religious conflicts between Hindus and Muslims. Therefore, Backward Classes Movement did not emerge in the State. Even then, the Munnuru Kapu caste Assoiation had played a prominent role in Hyderabad State.

This caste associations were a part of the Backward Classes Movement in the state. Bojjam Narsimhulu, who belonged to Munnuru kapu community, was a prominent leader in the State. He organizes his caste people to fight against social evils like Vetti Chakiri (Bonded Labour), Dowry system and child marriages in the State. A Munnuru kapu Conference was held for the first time on 31^st may 1935 at Hyderabad under his leadership. The Munnurukapu movement started a process of socialization of Backward Classes. Bojjam Narsimhulu was one of the distinguished founding fathers of the Backward Classes Movement in Andhra Pradesh. He joined the Congress Party in 1920 and dedicated his whole life to the social, economic and political advancement of the backward Classes. He was the first leader to organize Hyderabad backward Classes Association and strove hard for this consolidation. On 8^th may 1954 the Hyderabad Backward Classes Association was formed with bojjam Narsimlu as its first President. In 1953, he was co-opted member of the first All India backward Classes Commission headed by Kaka Saheb Kalelkar and toured the entire State along with the Commission. Later he wrote book in Urdu on the problem of backward Classes.