Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], March 19 : BRS MLC K Kavitha launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of maintaining a dual stance on Backward Classes (BC) issues and betraying BC communities historically and in the present, according to an official press release.
Addressing the media, Kavitha alleged that Congress has never genuinely worked for BC welfare. She pointed out that the Kaka Kalelkar Commission report was dismissed under Jawaharlal Nehru, while the Mandal Commission, aimed at uplifting BCs, was shelved for a decade during Indira Gandhi's tenure and only implemented in 1990 by VP Singh government.
Kavitha also highlighted how Rajiv Gandhi opposed BC reservations in Parliament, claiming they would divide the country, the statement added.
Referring to the Kamalapur Declaration and Congress's promise of 42 per cent reservation for BCs, former MP from Nizamabad K. Kavitha demanded to know how the figure was calculated, the statement said.
Further, as per the release, she also questioned why the Congress government set up a commission nine months after coming to power and why its report has not been made public.
MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha warned that the absence of caste--and village-wise population data and category-wise quotas in the BC Reservation Bill could lead to legal complications, putting the law at risk of being struck down by courts.
BRS Leader MLC Kavitha demanded the immediate allocation of Rs 20,000 crore annually under a BC Sub-Plan, criticizing the Congress government for allocating only Rs 9,200 crore last year. She underscored the stark economic disparity, noting that BCs make up 50 per cent of the population but own only 15 per cent of national wealth, the statement added.
Additionally as per the statement, MLC Kavitha emphasized that true development could have been achieved if BC reservations were implemented alongside SC/ST quotas. "India could have outpaced the US if the Congress hadn't denied BCs their due for decades," she said.
Despite a 27 per cent reservation in UPSC, BCs have never crossed 8 per cent of selected candidates, and 23 per cent of BC-reserved posts remain vacant, MLC Kavitha noted while blaming poor implementation.
MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha expressed concern over the neglect of nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes, particularly in education. She recalled the special quota introduced by KCR for these communities in residential schools, a provision she claims Congress has failed to implement. The BRS Leader also highlighted the lack of constitutional safeguards for BCs and women, which continues to marginalize them socially, economically, and politically, the statement added.
MLC Kavitha called on BC communities to rise and fight for their rightful share, demanding economic independence, political representation, and self-respect. She said, "The Congress has historically sidelined BCs. It's time we hold them accountable for their hypocrisy."