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Nishtha Anushree
Nov 18, 2023, 06:42 PM | Updated 06:42 PM IST
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Accusing the Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of being 'anti-backwards class' parties, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that only the BJP can work in the best interest of the Backward Class, as reported by PTI.
During his campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Telangana on Saturday (18 November), Shah declared that if the BJP came to power, it would eliminate religion-based reservation and augment the quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
Currently, in Telangana, members of the minority Muslim community classified as backward are entitled to a 4 per cent reservation in education and government jobs. The state's Muslim population is estimated to be 12.7 per cent based on the last census.
He emphasised that only the BJP has the capability to "do good for the backward class." This statement was made during a public rally in Gadwal.
Shah highlighted Prime Minister Modi's announcement that the next Chief Minister of Telangana would be from a backward class, assuring the electorate that the BJP promises to provide the first chief minister belonging to a backward class.
He also criticised the Telangana government led by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, alleging that Rs 3,300 crore allocated for the development of backward classes was only utilised to the extent of Rs 77 crore, terming it an act of deceit.
Accusing Rao's government of setting a "world record" in making false promises, Shah suggested it was time for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to consider a "Voluntary Retirement Scheme" (VRS).
Shah targeted the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Congress, and BRS, referring to them as the 2G, 3G, and 4G parties. He explained that 2G stands for KCR and KTR, running the government for two generations, AIMIM is a 3G party as it has been for three generations, and Congress is the 4G party with four generation leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and now Rahul Gandhi.
Elections in Telangana are scheduled for 30 November, marking the last in a crucial series of assembly polls across five states, with results to be declared on 3 December.
Nishtha Anushree is Senior Sub-editor at Swarajya. She tweets at @nishthaanushree.