BCs need legally guaranteed quota, not party-based assurances: Dundra Kumaraswamy
Reconsider 42% BC quota approach, Congress govt urged
Backward Classes should receive reservations in local body elections strictly on a legal and constitutional basis, and not as a matter of political convenience, said National BC Dal president and BC Reservations Sadhana Samakhya JAC chairman Dundra Kumaraswamy on Thursday.
Addressing a coordination meeting of several BC organisations, he described the State government’s recent indication—that BC reservations in forthcoming Panchayat polls may be aligned with party decisions—as “deeply distressing” and contrary to the spirit of social justice. He urged the Congress government to revisit its approach immediately.
Referring to the November 17 Cabinet meeting, Mr. Kumaraswamy said signals emerging from the government—that Panchayat elections may proceed with party-based decisions on BC quotas—had triggered “serious discontent and anxiety” among large sections of the BC community. He insisted that elections must not be held unless the earlier commitment of 42% BC reservations is legally enforced through proper statutory procedure.
He said the BC community had placed trust in the Congress because the Centre had “failed BCs repeatedly for decades,” adding that it was the Kamareddy BC Declaration, with its assurances of 42% reservations in education, employment and local bodies, that paved the way for the Congress victory in Telangana.
“While the Union government stands discredited among BCs, faith in the Congress still remains. That trust should not be betrayed,” he cautioned. Any deviation from the promised quota framework, he said, would “seriously erode BC support” for the ruling party.
Mr. Kumaraswamy called upon BC Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Mahesh Goud and others to advise the Chief Minister appropriately and ensure that the reservation framework is revisited in line with constitutional requirements.
The meeting was attended by Ranga Reddy district president Pallapothu Bhagavan Das, Ramana Rajarao, representatives from various BC women’s associations, and other community leaders.
