BJP will put an end to Muslim reservations, it’s unconstitutional: Amit Shah, Telangana

On April 23, Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a public gathering in Telangana ahead of the year-end state elections, promising a Karnataka re-run in Telangana if the Bharatiya Janata Party is elected to power in the state. Speaking at the rally, Shah promised that if the BJP won power, his government would repeal the provision for Muslim reservation, calling such quotas in the state “unconstitutional.” Elections in the southern state will be taking place later this year. Telangana is today governed by the K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR)-led BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samiti)

“We will put an end to Muslim reservations in educational institutions. Quotas are the constitutional right of Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribes and backward castes and we will ensure they benefit,” Shah is heard saying in videos of his speech that have since gone viral. Shah had additionally described the quota given to Muslims in Telangana in education and employment as well as in the implementation of welfare schemes such as double-bedroom houses as unconstitutional because reservation based on religion is not allowed.

This comes as the government of K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) moves to increase Muslim quotas from 4% to 12%. It is important to note that just last month, the BJP-ruled Karnataka decided to eliminate the 4% OBC quota for Muslims and divide it equally between two politically influential and dominant communities, Veerashaiva-Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The decision was made ahead of the May 10 elections.

It is essential to note here that on April 13, the Supreme Court told the Karnataka government that a reading of the government order scrapping the quota appears to suggest that prima facie the foundation of its decision-making process is based on an “absolutely fallacious assumption”. “Karnataka government’s decision to raise 2% quotas for Vokkaliga, Lingayat each; scrapping 4% OBC quota for Muslims prima facie shaky and flawed,” the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna had said.

Addressing a public meeting titled “Vijay Sankalp Sabha” in Chevella, 46 kilometers from Hyderabad, Shah also issued a public threat that the BRS Government in Telangana should start a countdown because the ‘BJP’s fight will not stop until the current regime is dethroned’. With respect to the party’s name change, Shah stated that “pink party’s metamorphosis from TRS to BRS was a mere tactic to divert attention from neck-deep corruption”.

“The countdown for the ruling BRS in Telangana which has been running a corrupt government in the state for the last eight-nine years has begun,” Shah said.

When the BJP forms a government in Telangana, the corrupt will be put behind bars, according to Shah’s promises. He went on to say that the police and state administration in Telangana have been completely politicised, and that the welfare measures extended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are not reaching the grassroots.  This comes after Satya Pal Malik, the last governor of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) before it was divided and turned into a Union territory, made some controversial remarks that could have political ramifications for the Narendra Modi government and the BJP. He said in an explosive interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire that “Mein safely keh sakta hoon Prime Minister ko corruption se bahut nafrat nahi hain (I can safely say the PM has no real problem with corruption)”.

Shah had also ridiculed BRS’s expansion plans, saying the PM’s post was not vacant and Narendra Modi will “easily” retain power in 2024.

“KCR dreams of becoming Prime Minister and touring India, but let him first inspect his own turf, where rot runs deep,” Shah said. The remark follows KCR’s series of rallies in Maharashtra as part of his plan to expand his national footprint. The ED questioned the CM’s daughter, K Kavitha, last month in the liquor policy case in Delhi.

Shah also hit out at KCR for not celebrating the ‘Telangana Liberation Day” (the day the erstwhile Nizam state merged with Indian Union in 1948) and promised it will be celebrated in a grand manner at Hyderabad’s Parade Ground after BJP comes to power in the southern state. He further alleged that the Telangana government does not even show the complete map of Kashmir to appease Owaisi’s party. “This is disrespectful to India,” he said.

Shah ended his speech by urging the voters to give the BJP a landslide victory in the upcoming general election. “There will be a trailer soon: Please vote BJP to power in Telangana,” he had said.

The video of the speech can be viewed here:

Asaduddin Owaisi, chief of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and a Hyderabad MP, sharply criticised Shah, saying the BJP has no vision for the state other than “anti-Muslim hate speech.” In a tweet he said, “If Shah is serious about justice for SCs, STs and OBCs, then he should introduce a constitutional amendment to remove the 50% quota ceiling. Reservations for backward Muslim groups is based on empirical data.”

“Reservations for backward Muslim groups is based on empirical data. Please read the Sudhir Commission report. If you cannot, please ask someone who can. Reservations for Muslims are continuing under a stay from SC,” he had further written.

The tweet can be viewed here:

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