Leaders at an all-party dharna staged seeking protection of 34% reservation to Backward Classes (BCs) in the panchayat raj elections have demanded that the government restore the quota as it was in the previous elections.
Accusing the State government of conspiring to suppress BCs by reducing reservation for them in the panchayat raj elections president of National Backward Classes Welfare Association R. Krishnaiah on Sunday said it would hamper political empowerment of the communities. The reduction in BC reservation from 34% to 22% would deny 1,400 sarpanch posts and 18,000 ward member posts to BC communities, he pointed out.
Cautioning the government of spreading the movement in support of 34% reservation to BCs in panchayat raj elections if it failed to restore the quota, Mr. Krishnaiah said about 2 crore BCs would teach a fitting lesson to the government in the State in the coming Parliament elections for neglecting the BCs. Leaders from Congress, Telugu Desam Party, Telangana Jana Samithi and several BC Associations participated in the protest.
“The government would have implemented 34% quota for BCs had it been sincere about it since there is nothing new about the Supreme Court verdict of 2010. Even after the apex court judgement, gram panchayat elections were held in 2013 and MPTC and ZPTC elections were held in 2014 with 34%. The then Congress government had also issued a GO reducing the quota to 22% in tune with the Supreme Court order, but under pressure from BC bodies the government had filed a review petition and got stay on reducing the quota,” Mr. Krishnaiah explained.
‘Govt not sincere’
Even the present government could have done the same had it been sincere about 34% quota for BCs, but it had promulgated an ordinance in a hurry reducing the quota to 22% without waiting for a formal approval by the Cabinet .
“Elections are not being held in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, but the Telangana government appears to be in a hurry,” he lamented. He suggested the government to get the interim stay vacated on BC quota in the High Court and it would also facilitate withdrawal of the ordinance.
President of TJS M. Kodandaram, P.L. Vishveshwar Rao, J. Chittaranjan Das (Congress), Rameshwar (TDP), G. Krihsna and several others also spoke at the protest.
