TRS MP Banda Prakash on Wednesday demanded reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Parliament and Assembly even as he demanded removing the 50 per cent cap on quota regime while questioning the Supreme Court rationale behind setting such a condition.
Participating in the debate on the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill to empower states to identify OBCs in Rajya Sabha, Prakash also said that the Telangana government under K Chandrashekhar Rao had sent a resolution demanding 33 per cent reservation for OBCs in legislature but nobody knows its fate even after eight years.
He said there is a need to check how many MPs from backward classes are there in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
"We want political reservation for the OBCs in the legislature. The Telangana government had sent a resolution to the Centre demanding a 33 per cent quota for backward classes eight years ago. Now we have to search for that. Are you bringing it to Parliament? What is your commitment to OBC reservation in Parliament?" he said.
There is a need for Caste Census and an assurance was given in 2018 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was Home Minister then, he said.
Demanding removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservation, he asked what was the scientific evaluation on which the Supreme Court had put the cap.
Finding fault with the Supreme Court, Prakash said the judiciary was giving several judgments, which had gone against the OBCs.
"When it is backward classes, they will think of reservation cap. When it is economically weak sections (EWS), why not think of the cap. The Centre itself violated the 50 per cent cap. Why is the Supreme Court silent? In the case of backward classes, they will think of creamy layer, they will think of cap. Why is not that it is other issues?...Then I demand to bring creamy-layer in the general category also," he said.