HYDERABAD : Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was conspiring to scrap the reservations by using the Justice Venkatachalaiah Commission report, submitted in 2002 recommending changes to the Constitution of India.
Addressing the media here, he said: “In the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, welfare and development are irrelevant for the BJP. Its only agenda in these polls is whether or not to change the Constitution.”
Stating that he has evidence to prove his claim, he said: “On February 22, 2000, on the occasion of 50 years of Independence, the then Vajpayee government issued a gazette notification to constitute a commission to make suitable recommendations for any possible changes to the Constitution. Former chief justice of India Justice Venkatachalaiah headed the commission and it submitted its report in 2002. If the BJP retains power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will try to implement its recommendations.”
He also asked Modi as well as Union Home Minister Amit Shah to make the BJP’s stand clear on the Venkatachalaiah report. Revanth also claimed that former RSS chief MS Golwalkar and others were against reservations.
“In one of his books, Golwalkar said that ‘reservations to Dalits are unfortunate’. RSS ideologue MG Vaidya, former Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan argued and spoke against reservations on several occasions,” he said.
“Abolishing reservations is the core ideology of RSS. It’s the agenda of the BJP,” he said and added that the Congress will not allow the BJP to have its way.
Stating that the BJP had opposed the Mandal Commission report, which recommended reservations to OBCs, he said: “The BJP led the anti-reservation movement. Every vote cast in favour of the BJP will lead to scrapping of reservations.”
“Rahul Gandhi has promised to conduct caste census across the country if the Congress wins the Lok Sabha elections. In Telangana, as soon as we formed the government, we have initiated the process to conduct caste census,” he added.
‘Muslims quota provided under BC-E category’
When asked about the BJP leaders promising to cancel reservations to Muslims, he said: “Muslim reservations were provided under the BC-E category.”
Alleging that the PM has done nothing for the development of BCs, he said: “Modi is a converted BC. Before he became the CM (of Gujarat), his community was under OC category.”
During the day, the CM also addressed a “Jana Jatara” public meeting at Korutla under the Nizamabad constituency and roadshows at Kukatpally and Serilingampally of Chevella segment.
Stating that he will not allow “Gujarat’s domination in Telangana”, he said: “Modi did nothing for Telangana. We have sought funds for the Musi rejuvenation project. But there has been no response from the Union government.”