Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Monday slammed BJP chief Amit Shah for his opposition to the TRS government's proposal to increase reservation for Muslims in the state.
Rao, who was speaking at an election rally at Dichpally, said he will continue his efforts to get quotas increased for Scheduled Tribes and Muslims.
BJP chief Amit Shah Sunday attacked the TRS government's proposal to give 12 per cent quota to Muslims, saying his party would never allow it as religion-based reservation is unconstitutional.
Taking exception to Shah's comments, Rao said the TRS would not like pleading with the Centre, and the BJP would not be in power after the next Lok Sabha elections.
"Yesterday, their president also came... He spoke wide and straight and left. They say they will not give. He spoke that we will not let Muslims get reservation... Amit Shah... You will not be in power. It is not you giving (something) and we taking it," he said.
A 'federal front' government should come to power at the Centre after next year's Lok Sabha elections for reservation and other things to be achieved, he said.
"Nobody gives us if we beg someone. Either our reservation, rights of Muslims or rights of STs, ...if they (quota and others) are to come, federal government should come in the country," he said.
TRS should win 16 Lok Sabha seats in next elections as All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi would any way win (as Hyderabad MP), Rao said.
Rao spoke extensively on the various welfare schemes of his government and the new promises of TRS, including hiking social security pension, 24x7 free power to farm sector, investment support and insurance schemes for farmers.
On Sunday, Shah hit out at Rao over the issue during campaign rallies at Parkal and Nirmal ahead of the December 7 Assembly polls in the state.
"I want to tell Chandrasekhar Rao, the Supreme Court has fixed 50 per cent ceiling (on total reservations). If you want to provide 12 per cent reservation, from whose quota are you going to carve it out: from Dalits, tribals or OBCs. Decide this first," Shah said.
Shah said Rao promised reservation to the minority community "despite being aware" of the 50 per cent ceiling and forwarded the proposal (bill) to the Centre.
"BJP would stand firmly to protect the reservation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes," he said.
The Constitution does not allow reservation based on religion, the BJP chief said.
The Telangana legislature has passed a bill increasing reservation in jobs and education for backward sections of the Muslim community to 12 per cent from the earlier four per cent. The bill is yet to get the Centre's nod.
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