Hyderabad: The TRS government in Telangana introduced the bill to hike reservation for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in government jobs amid ruckus by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators during the Special Session of the Telangana assembly convened on Sunday.
Five BJP MLAs were suspended from the Telangana Assembly for creating ruckus over the bill aimed at increasing quota for the backwards among Muslims and STs in government jobs. The members included BJP floor leader G. Kishan Reddy and K. Laxman, Raja Singh, NVSS Prabhakar and Chintala Ramachandra Reddy.
The BJP MLAs were seen protesting in the well of the house despite repeated requests by the Assembly Speaker.
As announced by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao three days ago the state cabinet met on April 15 and decided to increase reservation for backward Muslims from the existing 04 to 12%. The cabinet also decided to hike the Scheduled Tribes (ST) quota from 6% to 9% based on the population
The Telangana government had earlier decided to convene on April 16 a Special Assembly Session to pass legislation to increase reservation for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced on Wednesday.
The State Government now wants the Centre to protect the quota legislation on par with the 69 per cent reservation that was implemented in Tamil Nadu and included in the 9th Schedule, and is hopeful that the Centre would back his government's move and help get the Presidential ascent for the new Act.
The move to introduce the bill to increase of backward Muslims and STs as per their population in the state came despite strong opposition from the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP i opposed to reservation based on religion.
Union Minister Venkiah Naidu had said "reservation based on religion will create another Pakistan".
Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Telangana Legislative Council Mohd Ali Shabbir however slammed the BJP for categorising the minorities quota as a "religious reservation".
"The BJP has given 10% quota to Patels in Gujarat. Is it not a religious reservation?" he asked.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), aTRS ally in the state, meanwhile asked the government to be cautious, take legal approval and avoid rejection of reservation to Muslims.
Population of Muslims in Telangana as per 2011 Census Report is 44,64,699 which works out to 12.68% of the total population of the state. Citywise, Hyderabad has the largest concentration whereas Khammam has the loswest population of Muslims.
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