Muslim reservation: 50% cap on quota not in Constitution

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Adilabad, November 30

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) has questioned Supreme Court’s cap on reservations in jobs and employment.

Making an aggressive pitch for 12 per cent reservation for Muslims for jobs and educational institutions in the state, KCR said on Friday that there was no constitutional cap on reservation.

“The population of Muslims and Scheduled Tribes (STs) had increased after formation of Telangana. The Prime Minister and Shah say they will not allow reservation on religious basis. Is the country your jagir? Why will they not do it? Don’t they see poverty among Muslims? How long do you do politics of religion,” the chief minister asked at an election rally in Adilabad that borders with Maharashtra.

Telangana has around 57 percent backward classes. The issue of reservation for Muslims has become a particular point of contention between KCR’s party Telangana Rashtriya Samithi and the Bharatiya Janata Party.  At a recent rally in the state, BJP national president Amit Shah said his party would not allow reservation based on religion.

The TRS, which has been criticised for not making good on their reservation promise, has been furiously lobbying for it.   

The BJP leadership has been trying to consolidate Hindu votes in the state, while the TRS being a friendly party with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has been reiterating its commitment to reservation for Muslims.

The Telangana Assembly had passed a resolution sanctioning 12 per cent additional reservation for Muslims last year, but the central government under the BJP blocked it.

Telangana has about 12.7 percent Muslim population. 

Questioning the intention of the BJP of not countering the Supreme Court ruling through an appropriate legislation, KCR said: “Supreme Court of India gave a judgement that the reservations should not exceed 50 per cent as per Constitution. That is wrong... the Centre has the responsibility to amend and they should have done this by now. Even BCs, poor among forward castes are seeking this. The country will not develop until these two parties (BJP and the Congress) go; hence, I am proposing Federal Front”.