Telangana to give 12% reservations to Muslims, BJP opposes

Telangana state cabinet on Saturday approved draft proposal hiking Muslim reservations from existing 4 to 12 percent and SC reservation from 6 to 10 percent taking the total percentage of reservations in the state to 68 percent.

The ratified draft will be taken up for discussion during a special session of the Assembly on Sunday. The cabinet which met here to exclusively discuss and decide on the percentage of quota for Muslims under BC-E category has finally stood by TRS party’s poll time promise that it would provide 12 percent reservations for Muslims based on their percentage of population in the bifurcated state.

On last Wednesday, cabinet adopted the State Backward Classes Commission report that has suggested enhancement of reservations to certain socially and educationally backward communities, including Muslims under economically backward class category. The Assembly special session is expected to a bring a Comprehensive Act fixing new reservation percentages for Muslims and also other classes as per the commission’s recommendations.

However the Business advisory committee (BAC) which met at the Assembly premises after the cabinet meet has decided not to allow TDP MLAs for the special session saying that their suspension during the Budget session was not yet lifted as the session was nor prorogued.

“On April 16, we will bring the act which will then be sent to Centre for incorporation in IX schedule,” said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. By refuting allegations of minority appeasement, KCR said that the reservations are based on the new social composition in Telangana after bifurcation.

“There is already a 4-5% reservation for BC-E category in both the Telugu states. We are not doing anything new,” he said. In case of STs, the Supreme Court has allowed reservations to go beyond 50% in Tamilnadu, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, AP and Telangana, he said. Expressing confidence that the new bill will get President's approval, KCR opined that certain states such as Tamilnadu should not get preferential treatment.

Meanwhile, a group of ABVP activists tried to organize a dharna in front of Chief Minister’s camp office in Begumpet, protesting the proposed reservations based on religion. Police thwarted their attempts and took them into custody. The state level BJP including union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Bandaru Dattatreya also condemned TRS government's move saying that reservations based on religion would pave way for division of the country on the lines of Pakistan.