Hyderabad, Telangana – BJP leader Payal Shankar has raised a strong objection to the inclusion of Muslim minorities under the 42% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Telangana, calling it unjust and against the principles of reservation. In a statement, Shankar emphasized that the BJP would vehemently oppose the decision if the state government continues to include Muslims in the OBC reservation list.
“I have given a letter stating that if the state government is keeping Muslim minorities under the 42% reservation for OBCs, the BJP is going to strongly oppose it. The government should reply to this. I wrote to the government on 17th March but till now, I have received no reply,” Shankar stated, expressing her frustration over the lack of response from the Telangana government.
The BJP leader further demanded that Muslims be removed from the OBC reservation list, arguing that reservations should not be granted based on religion. “How can reservation be given on the basis of religion? This is an unfair move, and we demand that Muslims should be removed from this list,” she said.
Shankar’s comments come amid growing debates over the reservation policy in Telangana, particularly regarding the inclusion of Muslim communities under the OBC quota. The issue has stirred controversy, with critics arguing that such measures could lead to further polarization and undermine the intent of reservation policies, which are aimed at uplifting economically and socially disadvantaged communities rather than promoting religious-based quotas.
As the BJP continues to push for the removal of Muslims from the OBC reservation list, the issue is likely to dominate the political discourse in the state, especially as elections approach. The Telangana government, however, has yet to officially respond to these demands, and the debate over the matter is expected to intensify in the coming days.
