Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has made a passionate appeal to those who have challenged the government’s decision on Backward Classes (BC) reservations in the Supreme Court. He urged petitioners to withdraw their objections against the Government Order (GO) that mandates a 42% reservation for BCs in local body elections, reassuring the public that this increased allocation for BCs will not negatively impact existing reservations for Open Category (OC) members under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota.
During a press conference on Saturday, Minister Prabhakar announced that he, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and Minister Vakiti Srihari, will travel to Delhi for the Supreme Court hearing slated for October 6. He emphasized the government’s proactive approach, stating, ‘We are meticulously preparing our case, consulting legal experts to craft robust arguments that will effectively address all concerns regarding these crucial reservations in court.’
Prabhakar expressed his concern about what he perceives as an attempt to undermine the State government’s initiative to secure 42% reservation for Backward Classes. He acknowledged that while some individuals, particularly under the ‘Reddy Jagruthi’ banner, are vocal in their opposition to the enhanced BC reservations, this opposition does not represent a universal sentiment. He called upon all community elders to champion the cause of weaker sections, particularly in rural areas, affirming the government’s commitment to ensuring BCs receive constitutional rights akin to those afforded to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
He further highlighted that the Bill establishing these reservations garnered broad support, passing with a strong consensus from all political parties involved.