Congress wants to give share of BC quota to muslims: Kishan
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Kishan accused the Congress of proposing a 10% reservation for Muslims under the BC category. 'This move is an expansion of the earlier 4% BC-E quota implemented by the Congress, which was later raised to 6% and is now being proposed at 10%,' the Union minister said, stressing that the BJP remained opposed to religion-based reservations.
Kishan also referred to the previous BRS regime's implementation of 34% reservation for BCs, which included 10% for Muslims. He said this had led to an unfair outcome in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections, with the AIMIM benefiting from the arrangement.
He stated that the Centre, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, had introduced a 10% reservation under the Economically Backward Class (EBC) category, from which Muslims could also benefit. However, he said the proposal of the Congress government in Telangana to add a further 10% under the BC quota was 'unacceptable'.
Kishan also criticised Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for his remarks on 'converted BCs' and questioned whether the CM would similarly refer to the Lambada community, which was included under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category in 1972, as 'converted STs'. He added that several castes were added to the BC list in 1994 during the Congress regime based on the Mandal Commission, at a time when Narendra Modi was not even an MLA.
The Union minister also claimed that the Congress had never appointed a BC leader as chief minister and challenged the party's commitment to BC welfare. 'If Revanth Reddy truly cares about the BC community, he should make way for a BC as chief minister,' Kishan stated, adding that the BJP had promoted a BC leader to the post of prime minister.
Kishan further claimed that Congress would not win elections even if they were held immediately and predicted the party would lose the states it currently governs. He said Rahul Gandhi, who aspired to become prime minister, had already been rejected thrice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
a few seconds ago
- Indian Express
NSUI demands student union polls: Rajasthan Congress leaders face water cannons, over 30 detained
National Students' Union of India (NSUI) workers and senior Congress leaders, including AICC general secretary Sachin Pilot, on Monday staged a protest in Jaipur demanding the immediate restoration of student union elections. The Rajasthan Police used water cannons to disperse the protesters when, after a demonstration, tried to breach police barricades to march towards the chief minister's residence in Civil Lines area. A mild scuffle broke out between the police and NSUI workers, after which over 30 party leaders and workers, including Ladnun MLA Mukesh Bhakar and NSUI state president Vinod Jakhar, were detained. Speaking to the media after the protest, Pilot accused the BJP government in the state led by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma of deliberately delaying various elections, including panchayat and urban body polls. He said the state government was working in a dictatorial manner, taking inspiration from Delhi. 'This is a double-engine government that is doing nothing. When elections arrive, they raise issues of Hindu-Muslim, temple-mosque and try to polarise voters. If people continue to vote based on religion and caste, this will happen,' he said. 'They are scared to lose, hence they are adopting tactics to crush the voice of students,' he said. Pilot claimed that students across the state are seeking elections and criticised the BJP for having 'no valid reason' to halt the process. Responding to the allegations, Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa said it was the previous Congress government under Ashok Gehlot that had stopped the student union elections. Students should be questioning Ashok Gehlot about why elections weren't held during his tenure. We are committed to the welfare of students,' Bairwa stated.
Hindustan Times
3 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
BJP calls for boycott of Kamal Haasan's movies over ‘sanatana dharma' remarks
The Tamil Nadu BJP on Tuesday urged people to boycott movies featuring the actor-politician Kamal Haasan, in a response to his comments on 'sanatana dharma' made at a charity event held on Sunday. Veteran actor Kamal Haasan said that only education has the power to change the nation and it is the only weapon that can break the shackles of dictatorship and Sanatana. (PTI) BJP state secretary Amar Prasad Reddy posted a video message onto his social media accounts, wherein he said: 'Earlier it was Udhayanidhi Stalin. Now, it is Kamal who wants to destroy sanatana dharma. Let's teach them a lesson.' 'I appeal to every Hindu to not watch Kamal's movies, not even on OTT. If we do this, they will not share such irresponsible statements that hurt millions of Hindus on public platforms,' he added. At the event on Sunday organised by Agaram Foundation, a non-profit run by fellow Tamil actor Suriya, Kamal Haasan said: 'Only education has the power to change the nation. It is the only weapon that can break the shackles of dictatorship and Sanatana.' The actor was referring to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which the ruling DMK wants abolished. Haasan also said that a central exam for medical admissions was a barrier for marginalised students. 'Do not take any other weapon in your hand. It isn't possible to win with any other weapon because ignorant majoritarianism will defeat you,' added Haasan, who recently became a member of the Rajya Sabha after being nominated by the DMK after his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) entered into an alliance with them ahead of the Lok Sabha elections last year. The controversy around the actor's comments recalled the row that erupted in 2023 around deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin's call for the eradication of sanatana dharma, wherein he said: 'Just like dengue, mosquitoes, malaria, or coronavirus need to be eradicated, we have to eradicate Sanatana.' Historically, the DMK has considered sanatana dharma to be a centuries-old issue which compounds caste and gender-based discrimination. This point has found itself echoed by the writings of BR Ambedkar. Haasan's former co-actor Khusboo Sundar, who was recently appointed vice president of the state BJP, said that Haasan's comments were unnecessary. 'I feel Kamal sir speaking at an event like this about education and bringing in Sanatana was absolutely uncalled for, unwanted,' Sundar told PTI. 'You could have just stressed on the importance of education because we all agree education is your biggest weapon. Speaking there about Sanatana was absolutely wrong because nobody is including education with Sanatana...,' he added. Haasan has not personally issued any response to the BJP's criticism, as of the time of going to print. Meanwhile, DMK spokesperson A Saravanan said that the entire right wing was enraged with Haasan's speech. 'Kamal Haasan has hit the bull's eye. They (the right wing) don't know how to react. They are not able to attack him and know his powers of amplification,' he said.
Indian Express
3 minutes ago
- Indian Express
EC suspends 5 officials over Bengal ‘fake voters'
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken action in a case of alleged voter fraud in West Bengal, ordering the suspension of five officers and an FIR against them. The allegations include the fraudulent registration of voters using forged documents across two assembly constituencies. Those suspended include two West Bengal Civil Service officers serving as Electoral Registration Officers, and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers from the Baruipur Purba and Moyna assembly constituencies. A data entry operator has also been named in the FIR, which alleges criminal misconduct. The ECI's investigation was prompted by a report from the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, highlighting alleged irregularities. Following the report, the ECI wrote to the state's Chief Secretary, directing immediate action. In its letter, the ECI emphasised the statutory duties of electoral officials under the Representation of People Act, 1950. It noted that EROs are the statutory authorities for preparing and revising electoral rolls, and that all officers involved in the election process are on 'deputation to the Election Commission,' making them subject to its control and discipline. The ECI stressed Section 32 of the Act, which states that any electoral officer who is found to be in breach of their official duty without reasonable cause is punishable with imprisonment for a term of up to two years and a fine. 'It has been reported that the said officers have not only failed to perform their duty as ERO and AERO while disposing of the (Form 6) applications, but also violated the policy of data security while sharing their login credentials of the ER database with unauthorised persons,' states the Election Commission's letter. Form 6 is the application form for inclusion of a new voter's name in the electoral roll. According to sources, the five officials and one data operstor have been found involved in wrongful addition of names in the rolls. The ECI's decision drew varied responses from political parties in the state, with the BJP and the Congress welcoming the step. BJP state president Shamik Bhattacharya said that 'national security had been compromised'. 'We welcome this step by the Commission. The removal of fake voters from the list is not just BJP's demand but also something that all people of Bengal want,' Bhattacharya said. TMC leader Debangshu Bhattacharya responded cautiously: 'If someone is at fault, has done something wrong, and is being punished, then there is nothing to say.' However, he raised concerns that the action might be a 'ploy by the EC, which we obviously think is backed by the BJP, to terrorise ground-level administrative officials.' Congress spokesperson Somyo Aich questioned the motive behind the fake voter registrations, saying, 'The habit of giving entry to fake voters in the electoral roll, who is doing this? Why do they want fake voters?' He said that some officers might be acting 'out of fear', and urged the Commission to 'find out which political party is involved'. Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
