Vijayawada: Vijayasai calls for BC quota on basis of population

Vijayawada: Rajya Sabha member V Vijayasai Reddy moved a private member bill in Rajya Sabha on Friday seeking census on education and social status of BCs to provide reservation to them on population basis.

The Rajya Sabha member said that amendment should be made to Article 342 B of Constitution to provide reservation to BCs on the basis of population. He also moved a private member bill on amendment to Articles 270 and 271 and 280 to distribute states' share in tax collection.

Speaking in the House on the occasion, Vijayasai Reddy said that the population of BCs was 52 per cent when the country's population stood at 68 crore in 1980. Now the population touched 138 crore and there is no count of BC population in the state. He said the development and welfare of BCs is possible when a census is taken up on education and social status of BCs. He said that he is moving the private member bill seeking welfare of BCs. Vijayasai Reddy said that reservation was provided to SCs and STs on population basis and BCs were deprived of proportionate reservations as there was no census. As a result, the reservation to BCs stands at 27 per cent at present though their population exceeded more than 50 per cent.

He said that as there are no hurdles for increasing the reservation to BCs, the Central government should amend necessary articles of the Constitution to provide reservation to BCs as per their numbers. He said reservations should be provided to BCs in educational, public sectors and judicial system.

Vijayasai Reddy moved the private member bill in the Upper House during Zero Hour. He said though the country was progressing in all sectors in the last 75 years of Independence, BCs are still lagging behind due to lack of proper reservations.