Hyderabad: With all the five BJP members suspended for the day, the Telangana assembly on Sunday unanimously passed a bill to hike the reservation quota for backward Muslims and the Scheduled Tribes (ST) to 12 and 10 per cent respectively.
Barring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which vehemently opposed the bill both inside and outside of the assembly, the entire Opposition supported the backward class, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Reservation Bill, 2017, which will be now debated and passed by the state legislative council on Sunday evening.
As soon as the day-long special session of the legislature began, chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao moved the bill to raise from the existing four percent to 12 percent the quota for the socially and economically backward among the Muslims under the backward classes (E) category.
The reservations for the Scheduled Tribes in educational institutions and government jobs has been increased from 6 percent to 10 percent.
After the state legislative council passes it by late Sunday evening, the bill will be sent for the president's assent with a request to include it in the 9th schedule of the Constitution as was done in the case of Tamil Nadu.
Replying to debate on the bill, chief minister Chandrasekhar Rao said if the Center refuses to accept Telengana's request, the state would approach the Supreme Court.
Rao said, "Tamil Nadu is implementing 69 percent reservations for over two decades. Five to six states are providing more than 50 percent reservation. How can you deny this to Telangana?"
The Supreme Court has put a cap of 50 percent on all reservations both the Centre and in the states.
The chief minister clarified that the reservations were being provided purely on the basis of socio-economic backwardness and not on the basis of religion or caste as some parties were project before the people.
Terming it as a historic day, Rao said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had during the election campaigns promised that quota for the backward classes (E) and the Scheduled Tribes will be increased in proportion to their population in the state.
He assured the backward classes that there will be no injustice to them because of increase in quota for the backward classes (E) and announced that the quota for the the same will be increased. The state government has directed the backward classes commission to submit a report within six months.
BJP protests Muslim quota, leaders detained
The BJP leaders and activists were detained as they tried to march towards the Telangana state legislative assembly building to protest the bill to raise the job and education quota for the Muslims in the state.
All five legislators of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party led the party's 'padyatra' (march) from the Ambedkar statue to the assembly building. The legislators, who were wearing black scarves to protest the bill, were allowed to enter the assembly complex.
The lawmakers were later suspended from the house for the day-long special session, called to debate and pass the bill for hike in quota for the Muslims and the Scheduled Tribes.
Scores of BJP leaders and activists were detained in various parts of Hyderabad and other districts of Telangana.
Many of them were detained by the police since early morning, as a precautionary measure. Others were arrested when they tried to march towards the assembly building from different places.
The police tightened security and erected barricades on the roads leading towards the assembly. Sporadic incidents of scuffles and violence were reported.
Protesters damaged window panes of two buses of state-owned Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) at Afzalgunj in Hyderabad. They also deflated tyres of a few buses at Ranigunj, Muralidhar Bagh and other areas in the city.
BJP national council member N. Indrasena Reddy was detained when he was on his way to meet some party leaders who were arrested in Wanaparthy district.
Condemning the arrests, BJP's state President K. Laxman said the party would stage protests at the offices of district collectors across the state on Monday.
He said the BJP was opposed to any religion-based reservation and would intensify its protest in the days ahead.