Telangana Muslim quota bill: BJP calls it trash, holds protests

The opposition BJP dubbed as "trash" the bill passed by the TRS government to increase reservation for backward sections among Muslims and held protests in Hyderabad and elsewhere in Telangana against it on Monday. BJP state president K Laxman told reporters that they would intensify their opposition and take up a long term agitation against the bill.

Laxman, BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao and other leaders led the protests at different places. Laxman said the party would take up fast from morning till noon on April 20 in all mandals of the state against the bill and other issues. "On April 26 and 27, the state executive would meet at Sangareddy (near Hyderabad) to chalk out a long-term battle plan against the policies of the state government," he said.

BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao earlier said that the bill has no legal and constitutional sanctity. "Religion cannot be a basis for reservations and legally it's not viable as both the high court and the Supreme Court have capped the reservation at 50 %," Rao said.

He said the local BJP unit would go to court and challenge the Bill. "They (the government) haven't followed process and so the Bill is just like a trash paper, it does not have any validity. It will not stand the scrutiny of courts," Rao said. The Telangana legislature yesterday passed a bill which raises the reservation for the backward sections of Muslims and scheduled tribes, taking the total quota in the state jobs and educational institutions to 62% from 50 %.

Laxman alleged that the ruling TRS is indulging in vote bank politics by trying to appease Muslims and doing injustice to backward classes and STs in the process. "To get Muslims' appreciation, you give 12% reservation because their population percentage is 12. You don't talk about 'Divyangas' (persons with disabilities) whose population is three per cent.

"The Scheduled Caste population is 18 % and you say you will try to increase quota by one % that too at a later date. So, what is clear is, this bill is for the appeasement of Muslims and you ignore SCs, STs and BCs," he said.

The TRS had promised three % quota for persons with disabilities but there was no mention about it in the bill, he said.

Rao said, "It has given us a great opportunity to project TRS in bad light because it's been irresponsible as a government and it has undermined the rightful constitutional reservation for Backward Classes."

He said the party would launch a "massive agitation" against the bill.