BJP committed to BCs' welfare, says NR Rao; flays Cong policies
On Monday, he highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to inclusive governance. He noted that 27% of the ministers in the central cabinet belong to the Backward Classes (BC) and mentioned the establishment of the BC Commission during Modi's tenure. Rao emphasized that Modi, who himself comes from the BC community, has demonstrated exceptional dedication to ensuring that BCs receive their rightful place in governance.
He condemned remarks made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of insulting BCs by referring to them as 'converted BCs.' Rao stressed that BC representation and classification vary by state, citing Lambadas as Scheduled Tribes in Telangana but categorized as BCs in Maharashtra.
Rao criticized former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) for merely granting official status to the BC Commission without allocating necessary funds, rendering the body ineffective. He expressed concern about the caste census initiated by the state Congress government, calling it unconstitutional and lacking transparency. He alleged that the census was conducted without oversight from constitutional institutions, and data collection was incomplete, particularly at the mandal level.
Reaffirming the BJP's stance, Rao declared, 'We are not against caste census, but it must be carried out scientifically and constitutionally.' He announced that the central government is set to include caste data in the upcoming national census — the first since the British-era caste count in 1931 — which will be conducted by the Registrar General of India, a legally constituted body.
Citing schemes like Vishwakarma Yojana, Mudra loans, and Startup India, Rao argued that the majority of their beneficiaries are BCs, proving the central government's focused approach towards BC development. He cautioned that Congress is trying to mislead BC voters with conspiratorial narratives and reaffirmed Home Minister Amit Shah's assurance that reservations for SCs, STs, and BCs will remain intact.
The BJP, Rao stated, opposes religion-based reservations, such as the current 4% quota for Muslims, alleging they do not conform to Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution. He accused the previous government of diverting BC-reserved seats to Muslim candidates during the GHMC elections, disadvantaging communities like Gouds, Yadavas, and Gangaputras.
Rao also defended the Modi government's introduction of an additional 10% EWS reservation, emphasizing that it did not compromise existing quotas for SCs, STs, or BCs. 'Only the BJP stands firmly with the BCs,' he declared, asserting that Congress is attempting to divide OBCs from the BJP through misleading campaigns.
Highlighting the BJP's actions, he cited Dattatreya's appointment as Governor and Dr. K. Laxman's role as Rajya Sabha member and National OBC Morcha President as examples of true representation. In contrast, Rao accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Congress leadership of insincerity, calling their gestures toward BC welfare a political 'drama.'
Rounding off his speech, Rao urged all BC community representatives to participate actively in the upcoming elections and in the scheduled BC meeting in Hyderabad. 'BJP is the only genuine ally of the BCs,' he concluded, appealing for collective support to ensure victory in Telangana.
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