TRS govt's Muslim quota move aimed at "hijacking" voters: Naqvi

The Telangana government's decision to give 12 per cent quota to Muslims in the state has no constitutional validity, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Tuesday, alleging it was aimed at "hijacking" the voters for electoral gains.

Some parties, despite knowing that religion-based reservation was not possible, come out with such decisions only to "hijack the voters", Naqvi, on the campaign trail said, targeting the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government.

"Everybody knows even KCR (as K Chandrashekar Rao is popularly known) and also the Congress party that on the basis of religion it is not possible to give any type of reservation.

The first thing is Constitution does not allow such reservation," the minority affairs minister told PTI here.

"People need to be aware about such things," he said, reacting to the TRS chief and caretaker chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's promise in this regard.

The Telangana legislature had earlier passed a bill increasing reservation in jobs and education for backward sections of the Muslim community to 12 per cent from the earlier four per cent.

The bill is yet to get the Centre's approval.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday alleged the caretaker Telangana government was betraying the country and insulting the Constitution architect B R Ambedkar by proposing religion-based reservation with 12 per cent quota for Muslim minority while "stealing the rights of Dalits."
On demands by some in the BJP and the RSS for bringing out an ordinance for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, Naqvi said "it would have been ideal had there been an amicable settlement. Unfortunately, there is delay..there is demand from saints and seers and it is natural."