Ponnam slams BJP over BC quota stance, demands Centre act on 42% reservation

Hyderabad: Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar criticised BJP state president Ramachander Rao for declaring that 42% reservations for Backward Classes cannot be included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. He accused the BJP leader of once again revealing his “true colours” and obstructing backward caste rights.

“Ramachander Rao has exposed himself again. He says BC reservations can’t be moved to the Ninth Schedule. But Tamil Nadu has already raised reservations beyond that ceiling. So it’s entirely possible in Telangana too,” Ponnam said.

He demanded that BJP MPs from the State resign if they were serious about BC welfare. “Let them quit and show us why BC reservations cannot be implemented,” he challenged, urging the Union government to immediately approve the proposal.

Ponnam warned of statewide agitation if the Centre continued to block the reservation increase and said injustice to BCs would not be tolerated.

Ramachander Rao, speaking to media in Delhi on Monday, reiterated that the Supreme Court would not permit the inclusion of 42% BC quota in the Ninth Schedule. He questioned why Congress leaders didn’t raise the demand in the Assembly if they were serious about it.

He also alleged that CM Revanth Reddy had travelled to Delhi 46 times but was not granted meetings with senior Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi. He accused Congress of misleading BCs and demanded the party apologise for what he called repeated betrayal.