Hyderabad: Hours after the Supreme Court refused to interfere in the issue over conduct of the Group-1 Mains exams, BRS working president KT Rama Rao declared that the party would continue its legal fight until GO 29 was revoked. He stated that the Supreme Court did not entirely reject their petition, but only redirected it to the High Court, asking it to expedite the hearing and directing the authorities that no results should be declared until the High Court gives its judgement on GO 29.
Addressing mediapersons at Telangana Bhavan on Monday, Rama Rao exuded confidence that the High Court verdict would be in favour of Group-1 job aspirants. He explained that the previous BRS government had issued GO 55 to ensure that reservations for SC, ST, BC, and EWS (economically weaker section) categories were upheld, while still protecting merit-based opportunities for the open category.
“But GO 29, issued by the Congress government, restricts opportunities for candidates from reserved categories in open category. This is unconstitutional. We have been raising these concerns since February,” he said.
The BRS working president charged Chief Minister Revanth Reddy with attempting to weaken the State’s reservation system. He questioned the government’s refusal to reschedule exams until the legal issues were resolved. “Not only is this government undermining reservations for SC, ST, and BC communities, but it is also creating a situation where non-locals could benefit at the expense of Telangana students. Through his actions, Revanth Reddy has proved to be against weaker sections,” he asserted.
Rama Rao ridiculed the Chief Minister’s claims of providing 60,000 jobs, and demanded the latter to explain job notifications issued and exams conducted in last 11 months of the Congress rule. He stated that while the BRS government provided security for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to visit Ashok Nagar and interact with job aspirants, the Congress government was arresting BRS leaders for the same.
When asked, the BRS working president categorically denied to have insulted journalists who are on a visit to Seoul as part of the government’s official delegation to study riverfront development. He said he had utmost respect for journalists and would leave it to the wisdom of those who were accusing him otherwise.
“The media has bigger responsibility of fighting against the Musi River rejuvenation project which is a big scandal in making. How can anyone believe in the Chief Minister who promises to rejuvenate Musi River, but also allows cutting of over 12 lakh trees at Damagundam,” he said.
He said the secret friendship between the Congress and the BJP leaders was also exposed, pointing out union Minister Bandi Sanjay’s concern that the Revanth Reddy government would be unseated by certain Cabinet Ministers. “Similarly, even 20 days after ED raids on Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s properties, there has been no action. There has been no arrests in Valmiki scam in Karnataka or no action in the AMRUT scheme contract given to the Chief Minister’s brother-in-law in Telangana,” he said, adding that people of Telangana were aware of these secret friendships.