Muslim quota move will be fought politically, legally: BJP

HYDERABAD: The BJP today said it would "politically and legally fight" against the TRS government's proposal to increase reservation for backward sections among minority Muslims in Telangana.

"The BJP would fight against this religious reservation, dividing people on religious lines and for vote bank politics, politically on one hand and legally on the other," the party's leader in Legislative Assembly G Kishan Reddy said told reporters.

"The BJP would either join the ongoing matter in courts or stand by anyone who approaches courts against the move," he said.

The matter of 4 per cent quota being enjoyed by Muslims in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh is pending in the Supreme Court and there is "no final word" on it, Reddy said.

The BJP leader found fault with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's comments that the reservation is proposed for backward sections among minority Muslims.

"Muslim religious leaders did not say there are BCs in Muslims. But, he (Rao) has found that," Reddy said.

The move to provide reservation to Muslims is unconstitutional and "detrimental to society", the BJP legislator maintained.

Rao yesterday said a special session of the assembly would be convened soon to take up the issue of increasing reservation for tribals and minority Muslims.

The Chief Minister had said his government is keen on increasing quota for tribals and Muslims as promised by his party TRS in run up to the 2014 assembly elections.

The TRS had promised to strive for providing 12 per cent quota each for STs and Muslims in jobs and education.

Referring to the BJP's opposition to the government's efforts to enhance reservation for Muslims, Rao said the quota is proposed on the basis of backwardness, and not religion.