HYDERABAD: Firm on repeating its recent exceptional performance in Uttar Pradesh polls even in Telangana, the Bharatiya Janta Party seems to have begun implementing strategies to corner TRS.
Proving this, on Friday the saffron party leaders created a commotion inside and outside the Assembly opposing state’s move to provide 12 per cent reservations to Muslims.
While BJP legislators led by party state unit chief K Laxman and floor leader G Kishan Reddy stormed the Speaker’s podium over the issue leading to their suspension from the House, BJP and BJYM activists outside the Assembly tried taking out a march to the Assembly premises.
As soon as the House took up business, BJP MLAs wearing black scarves as mark of protest, insisted that the government drop the proposal to provide reservations to Muslims. Legislative affairs minister T Harish Rao requested them to resume seats and allow the smooth conduct of Question Hour.
However, the MLAs continued with their protests. Following this, Harish Rao introduced a motion for suspension of the MLAs. The speaker moved the motion and suspended them for two days.
As the BJP members stayed put in the House and continued their protest, marshals were called in and they were lifted out of the House. The suspended members included BJP floor leader G Kishan Reddy, party state unit chief K Laxman, Chintala Ramachandra Reddy, NVSS Prabhakar and T Raja Singh.
The BJP leaders announced that they would undertake a statewide agitation if the government went ahead with the reservation bill. “Quota on the basis of religion is against the Constitution. Even courts have struck down reservation based on religion in the past,” Laxman said.
“Reservation is meant for downtrodden and deprived communities and should be provided in accordance with the Constitutional provisions. Enhancement in Muslim reservation percentage will eat into the quota for Backward Classes,” the BJP state unit chief quipped.
Accusing TRS of pursuing vote bank politics, Kishan Reddy said: “The state government’s move is against the norms of Constitution as there is no provision for providing reservations to anybody based on their religion. The Chief Minister is behaving like another Nizam with his dictatorial decisions.”
Earlier, several activists of the BJP were taken into preventive custody by the Rachakonda and Cyberabad police when they attempted to take out “Chalo Assembly” rally opposing reservations to Muslims.
As agitators squatted on the roads, police personnel bodily lifted them into waiting police vehicles and shifted them to police stations. The detainees were released later.