BRS demands Ninth Schedule inclusion for enhanced quota to ensure fair deal for BCs

BRS leader and former MP B Vinod Kumar accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of lacking sincerity on BC reservations and urged the Telangana government to seek Ninth Schedule protection for BC quotas, while calling for real constitutional action instead of political theatrics

Hyderabad: Accusing Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of lacking sincerity in addressing the issue of BC reservations, B Vinod Kumar, BRS leader and former MP, on Friday urged the government to end the ongoing drama and take genuine steps to enshrine BC quotas in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

Addressing a press conference at Telangana Bhavan, he said the people in the State could clearly see through the “game plan intended to deceive the BCs”. They had dismissed the BC reservations GO as a hollow gesture and gave it no cognizance.

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Highlighting the proactive measures taken by the BRS government under the leadership of K Chandrashekar Rao, he said the party had pushed for enhanced quotas for weaker sections as early as 2017 and insisted on Ninth Schedule protection. “KCR had even mounted pressure on Prime Minister Modi on this,” he noted.

Drawing a historical comparison, he recalled how the Congress had got the 39th Constitutional Amendment of 1972 passed, extending impunity to the then Prime Minister, and said that the Congress government could make a constitutional amendment to protect Indira Gandhi.

But there was no such effort to extend enhanced reservations to BCs. Referring to the 2010 Supreme Court verdict in the Krishna Murthy case, he pointed out that the ruling had emphasised that reservations must not exceed 50 per cent. Yet, no constitutional amendment was made for BCs despite their substantial share in the population. “Let Revanth Reddy and BJP ministers join the fight. Include BC quotas in the Ninth Schedule. We are for it. No more theatrics,” he said, calling Revanth Reddy the “root cause” of the BC communities’ ongoing struggles and unrest.

Vinod Kumar suggested that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi consider requesting the BJP leadership to introduce a constitutional amendment ensuring proportionate reservations for BCs, or propose a private member’s bill for the same. He said that Prime Minister Modi, being in power for 11 years, was well aware that enhanced BC reservations required a constitutional amendment and not mere GOs meant to mislead the people. “Include BC quotas in the Ninth Schedule,” he demanded.