TRS backs Centre, but asks more for Muslims, STs

​Hyderabad:  Extending support to Centre’s commitment to provide 10 per cent reservations to economically poor among forward communities, the TRS has pitched for the enhancement of quota for the Muslims and STs (Scheduled Tribes) in education and employment in Telangana. Participating in the debate on the reservation bill in the Lok Sabha, TRS Parliamentary Party leader AP Jitendar Reddy welcomed the government’s initiation of extending reservation benefits to the economically poorer sections on par with OBC, SC and ST communities, who are availing quota in higher education and government jobs.  

Appealing to the Centre to consider the demand of Telangana and amend the bill to suit Telangana needs, Reddy brought to the notice of the House the efforts made by the Telangana government to increase quota for the Muslims and STs  in proportionate to the population of the two communities. After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the TRS MP said, the demographic composition in the T state was changed. As a result, the total population of the Muslims had increased to 12 per cent from 9 per cent in the united AP and the STs comprised 10 per cent of the total population in the state. 

The TS government also forwarded the resolution demanding the increase of Muslim and ST quota to the Centre but no action has been taken so far, he said and asserted that the Centre should delegate powers to the states in finalizing the quota in tune with the local demographic conditions.  He observed that the Supreme Court has put a cap on reservations not exceeding 50 per cent.  In the case of Tamil Nadu, the state is providing 60 per cent reservations to the locals.  Similarly, Telangana should also be allowed to increase the quota.