Congress Faces BJP Backlash Over Backward Classes Inclusion
Team Clarion
HYDERABAD — The political landscape in Telangana has erupted in controversy following the Congress government’s proposal to include Muslims in the Backward Classes (BC) list. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, has fiercely opposed the move, accusing the Congress of exploiting reservations for political gains and attempting to undermine the BC community.
Bandi Sanjay questioned the legitimacy of the proposal, challenging the Congress government: “How can Muslims be included in the list of backward classes? Is this your ancestral property?” He accused the party of engaging in vote bank politics and failing to distinguish between different communities for electoral benefits.
The BJP leader expressed concerns that including Muslims in the BC category would allow them to contest elections from BC-reserved seats across Telangana. He cited the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections as an example, alleging that Muslim candidates had already contested BC-reserved seats, thereby depriving Hindu communities of their rightful representation. Furthermore, he claimed that AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy were working in tandem to weaken BC communities through political manipulation.
Bandi Sanjay also questioned discrepancies in the state’s caste census. He alleged that the Congress government had tampered with BC population data to fit its agenda. “In the SKS survey conducted during K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s tenure, the BC population was recorded as 51%. Why has it now decreased to 46% in Revanth Reddy’s caste census?” he asked.
Raising further doubts about Telangana’s population figures, Bandi Sanjay highlighted inconsistencies. “According to Election Commission records, the state has 3.35 crore voters, but the government claims the total population is 3.7 crore. Experts estimate this figure should be around 4.3 crore. Where have 60 lakh people gone?” he questioned, alleging deliberate exclusion from official records.
In response to this controversy, the BJP has launched state-wide protests, urging BC communities and Hindu organisations to resist the Congress government’s decision. “The Congress is working against the interests of the BC community, and we will not tolerate it. The people must unite and teach them a lesson,” Bandi Sanjay asserted.
As BJP protests escalate, the debate over Muslim reservation in Telangana is expected to intensify, with both political factions gearing up for a prolonged battle over the contentious issue.
