KCR Reducing Chances Of 12% Muslim Quota: Congress

The Telangana Congress expressed its fears that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao would damage the cause of Muslim reservations by following Sudhir Commission recommendations.

The Congress' minorities department chairman Shaikh Abdullah Sohail, in a statement on Thursday, accused the Chief Minister of adopting an impractical approach to get reservations for Muslims in jobs and education in the State. He suggested that the State government follow established norms to increase the Muslim quota from 4% to 12%.

He said that the reservations would be jeopardized as the Chief Minister was unclear on the modus operandi to get reservations.

"During elections, the Chief Minister promised to give 12% Muslim reservation within four months of coming to power. However, it was only after nine months, on 3rd March 2015, that the State Government finally constituted Sudhir Commission. After getting two extensions, the Sudhir Commission presented its report to the Chief Minister on August 12, 2016, and the same was placed in the public domain on December 10. Without clarifying its stand on the Commission's report, State government constituted a BC Commission and instead of appointing a retired judge, it appointed an author as its head."

"The BC Commission so far held only one public hearing, stretched over 5 days in December 2016. It is yet to hold public hearings in the rest of the 30 districts, and needs to gather more information to prepare a comprehensive report on Muslim backwardness. But KCR is instead pressurizing the BC Commission to produce an early report so that he could move a resolution in the Assembly. This is not only unreasonable and unethical, but completely unconstitutional. It is nothing but sabotaging the cause of Muslim reservation in the State," Abdullah Sohail said.

"The Congress leader pointed out that the High Court had scrapped 5% and then 4% Muslim quota primarily on the grounds that it was not backed by a comprehensive report on backwardness of Muslim community. Although the Supreme Court granted stay on 4% Muslim reservation which benefitted nearly 10 lakh poor Muslims, its continuation is subject to final judgment to be given by the apex court's constitutional bench. Instead of taking measures to rectify the flaws identified by the High Court in previous cases, the TRS government deliberately made several mistakes to weaken the cause of Muslim reservation. This might also damage the 4% Muslim quota case in the Supreme Court," he added.

"KCR will be held responsible if any damage is caused to the existing 4% reservation, and the Muslim community will not rest until the Chief Minister fulfills his promise of increasing the quota to 12%," he said.