In March this year, Shah made a similar comment upholding the decision of the BJP government to cancel the 4% reservation for Muslims under the Other Backward Classes.

news Politics Monday, April 24, 2023 - 14:44
Written by  TNM Staff

The BJP’s arsenal for its election campaign in the southern states of Karnataka and Telangana seems to be targeting the reservation for Muslims in education and employment. Reiterating that the reservation to Muslims was “unconstitutional,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that they would end it if the BJP came to power in Telangana. He made the announcement while addressing the BJP gathering in Chevella constituency on Sunday, April 23. The Telangana state offers 4% reservation to Muslims from socially and economically backward sections. The Union Minister called it illegal to provide reservations to Muslims in the dignity housing scheme under which the poor are given a two-bedroom flat. “These rights are reserved for the SCs, STs and the OBCs,” Shah said.

In Telangana, the KCR government had promised to enhance the existing 4% reservation to 12%. A bill regarding this was passed in 2017. Though the Muslim Reservation Bill was forwarded to the Union government, along with a resolution asking the Union to clear the Bill, the Union government refused to entertain the plea. The Union government categorically stated that religion-based reservations cannot be allowed, despite the Telangana government clarifying that they plan to provide the reservations only to the socially and economically backward among the Muslim community.

in March this year, during his election campaign in Karnataka, Shah made a similar comment upholding the decision of the BJP government to cancel the 4% reservation for Muslims under the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Shah pointed out that reservation based on religion was unconstitutional and added that the BJP government had abolished the 4% reservation for Muslims and distributed it equally among the Vokkaligas and Veerashaiva-Lingayat communities.

He claimed that the BJP did not support appeasement. “The reservation for minorities is not constitutionally valid. There is no provision in the Constitution to give reservations based on religion. This Congress government did it for its appeasement politics and gave reservation to the minorities,” he had said. 

Speaking in Telangana, Shah accused Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao of pleasing Owaisi and the minorities. He claimed that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi had the ‘steering’ of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s car – the party symbol of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. 

Shah alleged that KCR acted on the directions of Owaisi. He targeted the KCR government again for not observing ‘Hyderabad Liberation Day’ at the behest of Owaisi. 

“Elect BJP to power and we will celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day in Hyderabad’s Parade Ground. We do not fear the Majlis. Majlis are a burden to you, not for us,” Shah said.

Alleging that KCR’s family members were involved in various kinds of corruption, Shah claimed that the name change of Telangana Rashtra Samithi to Bharat Rashtra Samithi was merely to divert people’s attention. “KCR, in Telangana itself your ambitions will come to an end. What are you talking about national politics? The PM’s seat is not vacant. In 2024, Narendra Modi will yet again become the Prime Minister with a huge majority.”