HYDERABAD: Citing the failure of the BRS to give more seats to Backward Classes candidates, National BC Welfare Association president R. Krishnaiah wrote an open letter to AICC Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre seeking 50 per cent of the seats for the community.
Stating that the BC community had a right to get its due share in a democratic set-up, Krishnaiah, a YSRC Rajya Sabha member from AP, asked, “If the BC population of 70 crores is not developed, how can the country assume the status of a big power?”
Krishnaiah made a list of demands for the Congress’ proposed BC Declaration that is to be announced in a public meeting in Shamshabad.
They include 50 per cent of Assembly tickets to OBC candidates, separate ministry for BCs at the Centre and introduction of the BC Bill in Parliament and allocation of a larger Budget for the community. He also sought constitutional sanction for BC reservations in panchayat raj elections, extending social security legislation like the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for OBCs.
For students, he sought introduction of post-matric and pre-matric scholarships at the Central level on a saturation basis, sanctioning of fee to IIT and IIM students and scholarships, fee reimbursement schemes at the national level
For job-seekers and the self-employed in the community, he sought liberalisation of National BC Corporation loans, reservation in promotions, reservations in jobs in private sector, a quota in judiciary and removal of creamy layer for OBCs as reservations were not for economic development.
The demands were genuine, he said. “The oppressed classes will be left with no other alternative but resentment and revolt against the rule which deprives them of their right to equal justice. Hence, we earnestly appeal to you to introduce the BCs Bill in Parliament and solve the other demands as early as possible,” Krishnaiah wrote.
