KCR cheated tribals of quota, podu lands: Ravindra Naik

Hyderabad: BJP leader and former minister D Ravindra Naik on Monday accused Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao of 'cheating' the Schedule Tribes in Telangana on the issue of reservations and podu land pattas.

Addressing the media, he said the TRS chief had created a new category of BC (E) with a 12 per cent reservation against the constitutional provisions. On top of it, linked it with ST reservations and passed a Bill in the Assembly, and sent it to the Centre for approval.

The whole exercise of passing the Bill and sending it to the Centre for approval was meant to blame the Union government, he asserted. Naik stated that "the Union Ministries of Home and Tribal Welfare have clarified that the State government could issue a GO to enhance the reservations for STs, as per their population ratio. Similarly, the High Court, as well as the State Tribal Advisory Committee have also wanted increased ST reservations, as per their population ratio in the State."

The former minister said the CM knows that the government could hike reservations as per ST population ratio, as it was done during the TDP regime in united AP. However, in a bid to deprive STs of their constitutional due, Naik alleged, KCR had sent linking BC(E) and ST Reservation Bill to the Centre knowing that it can't give nod for such an unconstitutional move. He said the CM's action had deprived tribal people in the State of their due share in admissions in medical, engineering and other professional courses, besides their share in jobs and other benefits. The bill only provided quota in allotment of wine shops. Similarly, the TRS chief has also denied tribals their right to get podu land pattas.