Assembly Adopts BC, ST Quota Hike BilL; KCR Stoutly Defends Muslim Quota

16-04-2017 Sun 19:00 | Local | NSS

Hyderabad, April.16: The Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of appointments or posts in the services under the State) Bill 2017, was passed by the Legislative Assembly on Sunday with the support of all political parties except the BJP. The Bill aimed to provide 12 percent reservation to Muslims and 10 percent to STs.

“I am not going to beg and I am going to fight with the Centre in case it opposes the Bill”, the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao firmly said in his reply to the discussion held on the Bill, introduced by him. Questioning the parties which were opposing the Bill to tell as to what was wrong in giving reservation to the Muslims Were they not paying taxes ? What sin they have committed? The Muslim population in the country was 1/5th and some communal parties were opposing the reservation to the Muslims by indulging in rigid arguments. He said that he will send the Act to the Centre, and then see what it will do on it. Exuding confidence on achieving Muslim reservation similar to separate Telangana state, KCR said that the Supreme Court had clearly stated in its verdict in Indira Sahani case in 1992 that reservations may exceed 50 percent in case there were justified reasons for it. “Centre can’t deny the Bill on any pretext. If needed I will take an all-party delegation to the Delhi”, he said.

Reacting to Congress Deputy leader T Jeevan Reddy’s doubt that the SCs, STs will be subjected to injustice in case the Bill was not endorsed by the Centre, and his contention that there was a need to de-link the SC, ST Reservations Bill from Muslim Reservation Bill, KCR said that the State government was sending the Bill mixing SC, ST, BCs and Muslims quota as bouquet to the Centre only to see that all reservations will be accepted at one time. “If the Centre rejects the Bill, then the state government will follow Jeevan Reddy’s suggestion and amend the reservations to SCs and STs following the constitution, which gave power to the states to amend the reservations for SCs and STs by convening all-party meeting”, he assured.

BC Quota Hike In the Offing

He made it clear that there was no need to the BCs to get disappointed on reservation. The state government will act on it immediately after receiving the report from the BC Commission.

Reacting tn TDP Member R Krishnaiah’s doubt, KCR said that a special session will be conducted again to pass the Bill enhancing the reservation to the BCs based on their population.

Referring to MIM Member Mouzam Khan’s doubt, KCR said that the present four percent reservation will not go anywhere. The government will consider the advice of Mouzam Khan and set up a strong legal team to argue the case if need arises, KCR assured. Mouzam Khan expressed the doubt that the Sangh Parivar may approach the Court on reservation to the Muslims and hence the state government has to continue the four percent reservation as it was and include the enhancing eight percent reservation to Muslims creating BC-F category.

Finding fault with the CPM lone Member Sunnam Rajaiah, who extended full support to the Bill, for opposing the inclusion of Valmiki Boyas and Kayati Lambadas in the STs, KCR said that both Valmiki Boyas and Kayati Lambadas were poor similar to tribals.