BJP's Telangana unit lauds Centre's quota decision

Welcoming the Centre's decision to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for the economically backward section in the general category, BJP's Telangana unit president K Laxman Monday said the move would help in achieving social justice.

TRS Lok Sabha member B Vinod Kumar said it cannot be commented on till there is clarity on what the Centre proposed to do.

The decision will address the issue of "unrest" among the poor in forward castes and certain communities like Kapus in Andhra Pradesh, Patels in Gujarat and Jats demanding quotas, Laxman told reporters.

"By giving 10 per cent (quotas) to forward communities, justice would be done to all. Narendra Modi government is implementing social justice in letter and spirit," he said.

Though the previous NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee appointed a commission on reservation for economically backward sections, the UPA government had neglected it, he said.

It was double standards on the part of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi who said reservations are meant to correct historical injustice to Dalits, while seeking the 12 per cent quota for backward sections among Muslims (as proposed by TRS), Laxman alleged.

"Reservations are meant to correct historical injustice to Dalits. For poverty alleviation, one may run various schemes but reservations are meant for justice.

"Constitution doesnt permit reservations on economic grounds," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief tweeted.

Vinod Kumar said clarity was needed on what the government proposed to do.

"Unless we see the proposed bill, we cannot comment on that specifically...it is still vague," he told PTI.

"Let the government spell it out. What type of bill they want to bring, in what fashion," he said.

The Telangana Legislature in 2017 passed the Bill enhancing the reservations for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes (ST) to 12 per cent and 10 per cent respectively for admission into educational institutions and for the State services.

The matter has been pending with the Centre.

The leaders of backward classes associations here opposed the move, saying quotas were needed for backward sections who form substantial part of population.

The Union Cabinet has approved 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions for the economically backward section in the general category, sources said Monday.