HYDERABAD: A visibly angry Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of obstructing efforts by a delegation from Telangana to secure an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu.
“We had sought an appointment with the President 10 days ago. After our request, both the prime minister and the home minister met her. We do not know what was discussed during that meeting.
However, our ministers, Konda Surekha, D Sridhar Babu and Ponnam Prabhakar, and TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud believe that the prime minister, the Union home minister, and the Union government have deliberately prevented us from getting an appointment,” Revanth told reporters in Delhi.
He added that the delegation had been waiting for two days to meet the President but was yet to receive confirmation. “This is nothing but an insult to the people of Telangana,” the chief minister said.
He attributed the alleged obstruction to the “anti-BC stand of both the BJP and BRS”. Revanth accused the two parties of collusion and of betraying BCs in the state. He likened the BRS’s stance to playing the role of “Shikhandi” while declaring that the Congress would not allow the BJP to cross 150 seats in the next Lok Sabha elections.
Urging the Union government to approve the bills ensuring 42% reservation for BCs, the chief minister stated that the Congress would decide its course of action after a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC). “We will discuss legal strategies and protest plans in the PAC meeting. After consulting senior leaders, we will determine how to implement 42% reservation for BCs,” he said.
Reiterating his earlier claim, the chief minister said: “You (BJP) fight under Narendra Modi’s leadership, and we fight under Rahul Gandhi’s. I repeat, BJP will not cross 150 seats. Modi introduced the 75-year age limit to sideline leaders like LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. Atal Bihari Vajpayee attempted to remove Modi but failed. Mohan Bhagwat is trying, but he is also not succeeding. Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, we will remove Narendra Modi from the prime minister’s chair.”
No mention of Muslims in BC quota bills, points out Revanth
Revanth accused the BJP of continuing its efforts to curtail the rights of BCs. “The BJP opposed the Mandal Commission. When the UPA government decided to provide reservations to OBCs in IITs, IIMs and Central universities, the BJP resisted it under the ‘Youth for Equality’ banner,” he said.
Calling the BJP the “Betrayal of BCs Party,” Revanth accused it of attempting to block the 42% BC reservation by alleging the inclusion of Muslims in the bills. “Have a look at the bills. Nowhere does the bill specify reservation for any particular caste or religion. The SC, ST and BC quotas are allocated en bloc, not by sub-caste or religion. Let Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay show where the bill mentions reservations for Muslims,” he said.
He pointed out that Abdul Sattar, a Muslim, secured an OBC reservation in the 2017 UPSC recruitment. He also noted that sub-castes such as Noor Basha and Dudekula have been availing of BC reservations since 1971 in several states, including BJP-ruled Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
Revanth also cited a statement by the prime minister: “Modi himself, in an interview, said that not only had he enhanced reservations but also extended BC reservations to Muslims in Gujarat. Reservations are determined based on social and economic backwardness, not religion.”
‘Cong committed to quota’
Reiterating his charge against the BRS, he said the party was aligning with the BJP and not holding the saffron outfit accountable. “Why isn’t the BRS questioning the BJP’s actions? Why didn’t they join the BC dharna? While the Centre is not cooperating on the BC bills, the BRS isn’t even offering moral support,” he said.
The chief minister claimed that the BJP lacked the intent to provide 42% reservation for BCs. “If the BJP is serious, let them introduce a bill in Parliament for 42% BC reservation nationwide,” he said.
He maintained that the Congress government in Telangana remains committed to the 42 per cent quota.
When asked whether minorities should be allowed to become chief ministers, he responded, “Why not? The Congress has made minorities chief ministers and even presidents. Is there no space for minorities in this country?”
Asked why Rahul Gandhi did not attend the BC dharna at Jantar Mantar, the chief minister replied: “He had to appear in court and also attended the funeral of former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren. Why don’t you ask the prime minister why he skips Parliament regularly?”
Regarding Union Minister Kishan Reddy’s questions on discrepancies in the caste
census data, he said, “We are ready to hold a meeting in the Secretariat with the Chief Secretary and other officials to explain the data. Or we can bring all officials to Delhi to make a presentation. Ask him to give us time.”
Why will I send KCR to jail, he’s already living in one: Revanth
Hyderabad: Describing the people of Telangana defeating the BRS in the 2023 Assembly elections as the “biggest punishment” to the former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, his successor A Revanth Reddy on Thursday equated the pink party chief’s Erravalli farmhouse to Cherlapally Central Prison.
During an informal chat with the media in Delhi, when reporters asked him if KCR would be sent to jail, the CM said: “For KCR, there is no difference between farmhouse and Cherlapally jail. At both places, there is police protection.
People visit the farmhouse like they visit a jail. Why will I put him in jail? He has incarcerated himself in the farmhouse.” The CM said that people will give another term for the Congress in Telangana.
He added that the Jubilee Hills byelection will be held at the same time as Bihar elections. Meanwhile, Revanth attended the dinner hosted by Rahul Gandhi for INDIA bloc leaders.