CM confident of getting increased quota for Muslims

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has expressed confidence of getting 12% reservation in jobs and education for Muslims in Telangana State.

Replying to a discussion on Welfare of Minorities in Legislative Assembly on Thursday, the Chief Minister said he would use all his energies to get the increased quota. He said that the TRS MPs would raise the issue in next session of Parliament and pressurise the Centre to take a decision in this regard. He said he was quite optimistic on implementation of 12% Muslim quota and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already assured him of considering inclusion of increased quota for Telangana in the Scheduled 9 of Constitution as it was done in the case of Tamil Nadu which has 69% quota. He said PM Modi was in favour of giving reservation to Muslims on the basis of backwardness and not on the basis of religion.

KCR said that the State Government would approach the Supreme Court if Centre rejects reservation for Muslims. He said if required, an all party delegation would be taken to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister on the issue. He said that the Prime Minister would be urged to either accept or reject the Muslim quota. In case of rejection, he said it would be easier for the State Government to approach Supreme Court.

The Chief Minister said he had advised PM Modi to empower the States to decide the percentage of quota. He said that the Telangana Government wants to increase the quota for SCs and STs in proportionate to their population.