The Telangana State Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhara Rao, took the first major step in introducing a historic Bill seeking to steeply hike the reservation for Muslims, and Scheduled Tribes in the newest State Legislative Assembly today.
In a special session convened, the CM argued that the proposed reservation was not based on religion, but on social backwardness and quantifiable data of the composition of the population in the 29th State.
"We also promised before the elections of 2014, won the mandate of the people who endorsed it and hence the logical step of fulfilling it through the Bill," KCR contended.
The Telangana Reservation Bill (Backward Class, SC & ST Reservation Bill 2017), seeks to hike the quote for backward Muslims under BC-E category from the existing 4 per cent to 12 percent. Similarly, the reservation for STs is proposed to the increased to 10 per cent from the present 6 per cent.
The proceedings were marred with the five BJP legislators opposing, holding placards and protesting. They were suspended from the House after the Minister for Irrigation, T Harish Rao, moved a motion seeking their suspension, which the Speaker, Madhusudhana Chary passed though a voice vote.
Telugu Desam legislators, Revanth Reddy and Sandra Venkateswara Rao were taken into custody.
In his introduction, the CM said he would urge the Centre to include it in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution as the reservation would exceed 50 per cent (at present quota stands at 50 per cent in the State).
KCR said: "I will not beg the Centre, but am going to fight to get the Bill implemented. If necessary will take up protests in the Lok Sabha and seek all party support."
He claimed that the Tamil Nadu model, wherein 68 per cent reservation is under implementation for over three decades was being followed by the Telangana Government. " If denied by the Centre, we will approach the Supreme Court and take all measures to get it passed," he asserted in the Assembly.
The TRS Government found support from the Congress, whose leader Jeevan Reddy welcomed the move to enhance the reservation.
He suggested that the Government seek legal counsel and get the doubts of the members clarified. It was the Cong(I) under the leadership of YS Rajasekhara Reddy, which tried to increase the reservation fro Muslims to 12 per cent from 4 per cent several years ago in United Andhra Pradesh.