New Delhi [India], August 7 : Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday warned the BJP-led central government against stalling the state's move to increase OBC reservation, stating, "PM Modi should not stop our reservation."
Speaking at a press conference in Delhi, Reddy accused the Centre of deliberately delaying presidential assent to the state's reservation bills. "We are clearly saying PM Modi should not stop our reservation, if he continues, then we will dethrone PM Modi and make Rahul Gandhi and take the reservation," he said.
He asserted that Rahul Gandhi had promised OBC reservations during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and that the Congress government in Telangana had fulfilled that promise after coming to power.
"After the Congress government was formed, we completed the process, and the resolution was passed," Revanth Reddy said, adding that the bills were sent to the Governor and later forwarded to the President for assent.
He also mentioned that the Telangana High Court had given dates for conducting local body elections based on the new reservation policy.
Reddy accused the Modi government of deliberately delaying the process. "PM Modi didn't give an appointment. They are making excuses that it is a Muslim reservation bill. Our attempt to increase OBC reservation, but the BJP is trying to stop it by calling it Muslim reservation," he said.
The CM also highlighted what he called the BJP's hypocrisy, pointing out that Muslims are receiving reservations in several BJP-ruled states. "RSS base in Maharashtra they are getting reservation, and even in Gujarat, where Modi comes from, is getting reservation. PM Modi represents Varanasi, and Muslims are getting reservations in UP," he added.
Calling the BJP anti-OBC, he said, "To protect OBC interests, we did a dharna. TRS became the B team of the BJP and called our dharna a drama."
The Congress party had staged a protest in the national capital a day earlier, demanding immediate presidential assent to the Telangana government's bill ensuring 42 per cent reservation for Other Backwards Classes (OBCs) in education, employment, and local governance.
The bill had been passed after the Congress government came to power in Telangana, fulfilling a promise made by Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Earlier on Wednesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged President Droupadi Murmu to give assent to Telangana's reservation bills, calling it a "collective fight" to ensure that Indians from marginalised communities have their rightful share in power and progress.