Telangana BJP to oppose bill for 12% quota for Muslims

Sangareddy (Telangana): Telangana BJP president K Laxman today said his party would oppose the state government's proposed bill providing 12 per cent reservation to Muslims.

"Reservation on religious lines is against the Constitution. We will not accept any such move and oppose the proposed 12 per cent Muslim reservation bill in the Assembly, to be moved by the TRS government in the upcoming Budget session," Laxman said while addressing a public meeting here.

He also launched a signature campaign against the government's move.

Telangana government had last month said that it would bring the 12 per cent reservation to backward sections among Muslims in the Budget session of Legislative Assembly. It was a key election promise of the ruling party Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

The state government had appointed a Commission for conducting a study of social and economic status of Muslims and the panel has submitted its report, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had earlier said.

The government had forwarded the report to the Backward Classes Commission for its opinion.

BJP will oppose the proposed bill in and outside the assembly and will not support it at the Central level, Laxman said.

"Reservation is meant for the downtrodden and deprived communities and should be provided in accordance with the Constitutional provisions. Enhancement in Muslim reservation percentage will eat into the quota for BC (backward classes) and they will be at the losing end," he said.