Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said on Thursday that if the Centre refuses to ensure increased reservation for socially and economically backward among Muslims and Scheduled Tribes, Telangana will wage a legal battle.
KCR told the Assembly that he was confident that the state’s demand to include the state legislation in the 9th Schedule of the Indian Constitution will be accepted by the Centre. He, however, said that the state will approach the Supreme Court if necessary. He also said that in the winter session of Parliament, the issue will also be raised by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).
A legislation was passed by the Assembly, in April, on increasing the quota for the two categories to 12 and 10 per cent respectively. Currently, in educational institutions and government jobs, the socially and economically backward among the Muslims under the Backward Classes (E) category enjoy four per cent quota, while STs have six per cent reservation. The inclusion in the 9th Schedule will provide the legislation immunity from judicial review.
The state is urging the Centre to include it in the 9th Schedule as the hike in quota for Muslims and STs will take overall reservation in Telangana to 62 per cent. The same was done in done in case of Tamil Nadu, where the total reservation is 69 per cent.
The issue was under the Centre’s consideration, said the Chief Minister to the House. He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had responded positively to his demand and promised to take up the matter at an appropriate time. He further added that he will lead an all-party delegation to meet Modi, if needed and seek an assurance that the legislation will be included in the 9th Schedule.
Nobody should have any doubts over his government’s commitment to increased quota for Muslims, KCR stressed further. The state’s social composition was such that there was a need to increase reservation to do justice to the socially and economically backward sections, said the TRS chief.
“When a legislation can be made and included in the 9th Schedule for Tamil Nadu, why not for Telangana?” he asked.
