Telangana bandh today over 42% BC Reservation Call

metro india news  I hyderabad

The BC Joint Action Committee (BC JAC) has called for a statewide Bandh in Telangana on Saturday, October 18, to press the state government for the immediate implementation of 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections. The call for the Bandh has received broad political support from almost all the major parties, including the Congress, BRS, BJP, Left Parties, and also Kalvakuntla Kavitha's Telangana Jagruthi.

The demand stems from a promise made by the Congress party in its BC Declaration during the 2023 Assembly elections to implement 42% reservation for BCs within six months of coming to power. BC communities, who form a large percentage of the state's population, allege that the government has since shown a lack of sincerity.

There are legal and political twists in the reservation saga. Initially, the state government moved to conduct a Caste Census (socio-economic, educational, and political survey) and formed a Dedicated Commission. However, the survey's methodology and results, which allegedly underrepresented the BC population (excluding Muslims), faced criticism.

The core issue remains the 50% ceiling on reservations mandated by the Supreme Court. While the government attempted to bypass this with a special Government Order (GO) after its Bill and Ordinance were stalled, the High Court and Supreme Court ultimately intervened, directing the state to conduct local body elections based on the old reservation structure (which respects the 50% ceiling) unless a constitutional amendment is passed.

Allegations of Political Motive

The BC JAC and other critics argue that the Congress government was aware that increasing reservations beyond 50% requires a constitutional amendment by the Parliament (similar to the Tamil Nadu model). They accuse the government of making an impossible promise merely to secure the BC "vote bank" and are now engaging in "avoidance" and "futile efforts" while blaming the opposition (BRS and BJP) for obstructing the process. The BC communities feel betrayed, believing the government is prioritizing political gain over their interests.

In wake of the Bandh call, the Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) has appealed for the protest to be observed peacefully. Schools and colleges are expected to remain closed across the state, including in Hyderabad, although essential services are likely to be exempted. The widespread support for the Bandh indicates the significant political pressure and growing anger among the BC communities over the non-fulfillment of the 42% reservation promise.