HYDERABAD: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy on Saturday said that the people of the Other Backward Castes community had not benefited a lot from reservations. Speaking at the 12th CEC meeting of ONGC All India OBC and MOBC Employees’ Welfare Association in the city, he said a decision in favour of removing the creamy-layer clause from the current reservation criteria for OBSs was likely to be taken by the government soon. Reddy added an expert committee under the chairmanship of former DoPT Secretary BP Sharma would soon be submitting a report to the Centre on the matter.
“OBCs got reservations in 1993, but it was never implemented properly till date. On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the National Commission for Backward Classes Constitutional status. OBCs who have been neglected till now will get justice,” he said.
On Jammu & Kashmir
Speaking to media persons at another event, Kishan Reddy commented on the abrogation of Article 370 and said the Centre was taking necessary precautions for any kind of internal or external threats to the country. He also slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s comments on the matter. Earlier in the week, Khan had said that the scrapping of Article 370 would lead to similar attacks like the one in Pulwama, where around 40 CRPF personnel were martyred after a suicide bomber attacked their convoy.
Reddy said, “The statements made by Pakistan PM were irresponsible. The country is prepared for any kind of threat — internal, external or at the borders.”
Commenting on the current situation in the region, Reddy said Section 144 was lifted from many parts and the ‘situation’ would be peaceful in the next 10-15 days. “Everything is peaceful, the environment is not even tense there. Thus, we request people to be united in this time and celebrate Bakrid with happiness,” he said.