Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar has sparked a political firestorm by accusing the Congress-led Telangana government of attempting to allocate reservations meant for backward classes (BCs) to Muslims under the guise of a 42 per cent BC quota. The allegations, made in a strongly worded statement, have intensified the debate surrounding the state’s reservation policies.

Kumar claimed that the Congress, which promised a 42 per cent quota for BCs during the 2023 Assembly elections, is diverting 10 per cent of this quota to Muslims by categorizing them as Muslim BCs. This, he argued, would leave only 32 per cent for other backward classes, undermining the intended beneficiaries. “The Modi government already provides 27 per cent reservation for BCs. The Congress’s BC bills would add just 5 per cent more, while channeling 10 per cent to Muslims,” Kumar said, labeling the party’s ‘BC Declaration’ a disguised ‘Muslim Declaration.’

The minister criticized a recent dharna led by Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and other Congress leaders at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, where they demanded Presidential assent for BC quota bills passed by the state legislature in March. Kumar alleged that the protest was a political stunt aimed at securing minority votes rather than genuinely addressing BC welfare. The bills, which seek to increase BC reservations from 23 per cent to 42 per cent in education, employment, and local bodies, are currently awaiting Presidential approval after being forwarded to the governor.

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Kumar warned that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would oppose the bills unless the full 42 per cent quota benefits BCs exclusively. “If the Muslim reservation is not removed, the BJP will fight against these bills. The day is not far when the entire Hindu society, along with BCs, will revolt against Congress,” he declared, accusing the Congress of shedding “crocodile tears” for backward classes.

Highlighting the Congress’s historical record, Kumar questioned why the party, despite ruling undivided Andhra Pradesh for nearly five decades, never appointed a BC leader as Chief Minister. He contrasted this with the BJP’s record, crediting the party with appointing India’s first BC Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and including 27 BC ministers in the Union Cabinet.

The controversy has put the Congress government on the defensive, with the BC quota bills becoming a flashpoint in Telangana’s political landscape. As the bills await Presidential assent, Kumar’s remarks have raised questions about the state’s reservation policies and their implications for social justice. The BJP’s firm stance signals a potential escalation in political tensions, with the party vowing to mobilize opposition if the alleged diversion of BC quotas persists.

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