Telangana state BJP president N Ramchander Rao demanded Congress party to apologize for misleading and betraying the BC community in the name of providing 42 per cent reservations.
Addressing his first press conference at New Delhi after taking over charge as stare BJP chief, he alleged Congress has introduced the bill in the state assembly without debate on section 285 of panchayat raj act.
He wondered why the Congress government failed to discuss the issue and alleged that despite knowledge of Supreme Court judgement on reservation issue, the Revanth Reddy government has moved the bill to mislead the BC community for deriving political mileage.
He recalled that BJP has supported 42 per cent BC reservation bill in the assembly. But, he deplored the Congress government for not discussing the panchayat raj Act as there was a need to amend section 285 for providing 42 per cent reservation which would also exceed the reservation cap fixed by the apex court.
Stating that the Revanth Reddy government is now trying to bring an ordinance on the reservations, he lamented that even before the ordinance was issued, there was an attempt to reserve 10 per cent reservations to muslim community which would be opposed by the BJP tooth and nail as the party is always against religion-based reservations.
Referring to Congress leaders’ claim that to implement 42 per cent BC reservations, the provision must be included in the 9th schedule of the constitution, he asked whether legal advice was sought during state cabinet meetings on the matter or whether legal advisors not informed them on this issue?.
The state BJP chief said by blaming the central government, the Congress government is trying to deflect from the fact that they are aware of the legal complexities involved in this matter.
He further stated that despite the legal intricacies as per the supreme court ruling and the need to amend section 285 of the panchayat raj act, Congress leaders have been avoiding discussion on the issue and attempting to divert attention from the real problems by misleading the people on BC reservation for political gain.
Rao lamented that vote bank politics have become the Congress government’s priority. Rao alleged that the Congress government is resorting to all these legal problems merely to avoid holding local body elections. He advised that it is time for Congress to stop blaming the centre and implement the 42 per cent BC reservation as they promised.