Congress Ready To Fight as HC Stays BC Quota
Opposition accuses ruling party of jeopardising BC rights for political gains
Hyderabad: Following the High Court’s stay on 42 per cent BC quota in local body elections, State Congress chief B. Mahesh Kumar Goud on Thursday reiterated that the party would fight — legally and politically — for achieving the goal. The party, he said, would announce the future course of action after receiving the copies from court.
Speaking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan along with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Batti Vikramarka, ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Vakiti Srihari and others, Goud said that the Congress has made its best efforts for the materialisation of quota for BCs.
“The BJP and the BRS, which do not want the implementation of BC reservations, were making all the fuss. People know the sincere efforts put forth by the Congress government to achieve 42 per cent reservation to BCs. We conducted a massive exercise of caste survey which don’t have parallels across the country. This scientific study was first time in Independent India,” he said.
Countering the allegations by the BRS, he said the Congress remained steadfast unlike the pink party’s botched efforts. “We have integrity, so we are moving forward with the Kamareddy Declaration. Our intentions were clear, hence gave GO towards implementing the quota,” he added.
BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao described it as the ‘result of Congress government's negligence’. The responsibility for the High Court stay on BC reservations lies entirely with the Congress government.
Speaking to the media at the BJP state office, he demanded that the state government immediately approach the Supreme Court to correct the legal loopholes and ensure justice for the BCs.
The state BJP chief criticised that although the Bill was passed by the Assembly on August 31 and sent to the Governor, the government issued election notifications even before the three-month time limit for the Governor’s decision had expired.
Despite the Supreme Court clearly stating that the Governor must take a decision on Bills sent to him within three months, the government hurriedly issued election notifications before the expiry of this period, which is against the law.
Former BC welfare minister and BRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar accused the state Congress leadership of directing their efforts only to please Rahul Gandhi.
He dared the ruling Congress to prove everyone wrong by making all out efforts similar to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa. He said if the Congress was serious in its efforts, the BRS was ready to cooperate.
“We are ready to accompany Congress leaders to Delhi. All the efforts should be directed towards this, given the fact that the Congress is achieving nothing. Everyone should stand the ground and camp in Delhi, unless it is achieved,” he challenged.