BCs’ dignity first: KCR

Hyderabad: In an effort to politically empower the BCs, the Telangana government has decided to lead a delegation comprising BC legislators to Delhi and make a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reservation of seats for them in the legislative Houses.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, during his day-long deliberations on what more could be done for the benefit of the BCs, with MLAs, MLCs and ministers at the Committee Hall in the Telangana Legislative Assembly building on Sunday, said he was not looking for any political benefit with this move but was only contemplating to do something to the BCs that helps them lead a life of comfort and dignity.

KCR, explaining his government's initiatives to benefit the BCs who happen to be 52 per cent of the total population of the state, recalled passing of resolutions in the legislative Houses soon after the TRS came to power in 2014.

He said that all parties in the state were seeking reservation for the BCs in legislative Houses and that he wants this demand to be placed before the Centre as the state's demand and not as the demand of any one party.

He said the delegation would also seek creation of BC Welfare Ministry at the Centre and reservations for the BC employees in promotions in the government service. He urged the speaker of the Assembly to call for a day-long session for discussion on the welfare of the BCs and proposals for their socio-economic empowerment.

The BC lawmakers who attended the meeting said they would discuss the issue among themselves what more could be done for their brethren which could be placed in the Assembly for a meaningful discussion.

The Chief Minister said his government is ready to take up any programme that would benefit the BCs. "I am for reservations for the BCs in local bodies. The government does not want to take credit for any proposal that comes up in our discussions. We will tell the people that these decisions were the outcome of meetings with the BC leaders of all parties," KCR said.

The Chief Minister also wanted suggestions on how the BC Finance Commission and MBC Corporation should function and how to evolve self-employment schemes. He said the government was ready to issue necessary orders, instructions and bring forth legislations in line with the recommendations given by the BC public representatives.

"The government has no qualms to rectify any mistakes in the existing policies. My aim is to ensure that the BCs should flourish in the new state of Telangana which became reality after a long drawn out struggle.”

KCR said that in the developed countries, policies would be permanent despite there is a change in the guard, but this was not the case in India. He wanted the policies, schemes, measures to be prepared should be done in such a manner that nobody would be able to tamper with them or replace them in future.

Those who took part in the meeting included legislative Council chairman K Swamy Goud, Assembly Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary, Council Deputy Chairman N Vidyasagar, ministers Jogu Ramanna, Eatala Rajender, S Padma Rao and T Srinivas Yadav, Congress Rajya Sabha member R Ananda Bhaskar and BJP state president K Lakshman (BJP).