KCR betrayed BCs: Congress

Hanamkonda: Ensure 34 per cent reservation to the backward classes, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) OBC Development president Kathi Venkata Swamy demanded the State government. Addressing a press conference at the Congress Bhavan here on Thursday, he said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who time and again sought the empowerment of BCs, SC, ST and Minorities during the separate Telangana agitation, needs to prove his commitment.

"Though the BCs, SC, ST and Minorities constitute a whopping 80 per cent of the population, the government reduced the reservation to the BCs from 34 per cent to 23 per cent," Venkata Swamy said, accusing KCR of reducing the BC reservation quota on the pretext of Supreme Court verdict (of overall capping quota at 50 per cent). He demanded the government a hike in the reservations to BC on pro rata basis in terms of population.

The political parties were in the forefront of using the OBC card to woo the backward classes, it was quite evident, he said, referring to the BJP's efforts to push Prime Minister Narendra Modi's OBC caste card during the recent Parliamentary elections. In fact, Modi never highlighted his OBC status, he added.

Referring to the upcoming municipal elections, Venkata Swamy said that it's time for KCR to prove his commitment towards the OBCs. "KCR will have to take necessary measures to restore the BCs quota to 34 per cent. Either the State government promulgate an ordinance or exert pressure on the Central government to make it possible somehow," Venkata Swamy said.

The Greater Warangal Congress Committee president Katla Srinivas Rao and a host of BC leaders were among others present.