HYDERABAD: The
Telangana assembly on Sunday passed a bill to provide 12% reservation to backward
Muslims
and 10% to Scheduled Tribes, taking the quantum of quota to 62% in jobs and education.
With the quota percentage crossing the Supreme Court-mandated 50% cap, the state government, which has modelled the bill around the Tamil Nadu formula, will request the Centre to incorporate it in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution to avoid court scrutiny.
The bill was unanimously passed after five agitating BJP MLAs were suspended by the speaker and marshalled out of the House. A special session was convened to hike the quota, which was a poll promise of the ruling TRS in the state.
“This day will go down in history books. The TRS has fulfilled another promise by hiking reservations for poor Muslims and STs. I will take the battle to Delhi, if the Centre fails to approve the hike. My government will not hesitate to approach the Supreme Court,” said CM K Chandrasekhar Rao.
“Are Muslims not our citizens? When backward groups in every caste and religion are being provided with relief, why not Muslims,” he asked.
As of now, reservation for Muslims in the state stands at 4%, under the
OBC
category, and the STs at 6%.
KCR also hinted at an increase in reservation for Scheduled Castes by another 1%-2%.