Telangana govt's decision to hike Muslim quota won't stand legal: BJP
Hyderabad: Recent decision of the Telangana government to increase the quota for backward Muslims would not stand the scrutiny of law, the BJP floor leader in the state Legislative Assembly G Kishan Reddy said in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
"The Sudhir Commute (constituted by the Telangana government to study condition of Muslims) and the Backward Classes Commission recommended six per cent hike in reservation. But, he (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) made it eight per cent.
"On what basis, he (the CM) made it (reservation) eight per cent? You can now make it that this government does not have sincerity," Reddy told reporters.
The Telangana legislature on April 16 passed a bill, raising the reservation for backward Muslims and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs and educational institutions.
Under the bill, quota for STs will be increased to 10 per cent from the existing 6 per cent, while that for BC-E category (the backward sections among the Muslim community) will go up to 12 per cent from the existing 4 per cent.
The total reservations in the state, consequently, will go up to 62 per cent from the existing 50 per cent cap set by the Supreme Court.
"Under no circumstances, this bill is going to stand, either in high court or Supreme Court. The reports for the bill are totally defective. Sudhir Committee does not have legal status. Sudhir Committee's report does not have legal status.
"100 per cent reservation is provided to Muslim brethren in Telangana (by raising the quota to 12 per cent).
It is not going to stand. Only STs and SCs have 100 per cent right for quotas as per Constitution," Reddy said.
The reservation is provided to backward sections among Muslims under Backward Classes (BC)-E category, but there is no proper data on this, he said.
Stating that 'sab ka sath, sab ka vikas' is the policy of the BJP, Reddy said that backward sections among Muslims should be benefited through other measures.
The reservation issue would be on the BJP's agenda in the 2019 Assembly polls, Reddy added.
