Upper castes’ ultimatum to Telangana govt on EWS quota

HYDERABAD: Upper caste communities in Telangana, who constitute 20-22% of population, have issued an ultimatum to state government to implement 10% quota in education and jobs for economically weaker sections (EWS) within the communities.
Stressing that lakhs of students and youth are being deprived of reservation in professional courses and jobs, they set a deadline (January 30) to the government to implement the quota, failing which they would resort to protests.Community leaders said implementation of 10% EWS reservation would not come in the way of enhancing reservations of Muslims to 12% and STs to 10% in the state.
Towards pursuing their demands, Reddy, Brahmin, Velama, Vysya and Kamma welfare associations have decided to come together and exert pressure on the TRS government.
They said except for implementing 10% EWS reservation in 2019-20 NEET-based admissions in the state, the government had not implemented it in educational courses and jobs. The NDA government at the Centre extended 10% reservation to EWS in the general category ahead of 2019 general elections in what was seen as a gamechanger.
Tulasi Srinivas of Telangana Brahmana Seva Sangh Samakhya said several representations to the government had fallen on deaf ears. “Thousands of students have lost an opportunity of availing reservations in the last two years. Left with no other option, we have decided to first request the government to implement it or else we would hit the streets,” he said.
Brahmins, Velamas and Vysyas roughly constitute 3% of the population in both Telugu states, while Reddys constitute 7% and Kammas 5% of the population. While the TRS government tried to keep the Brahmin community in good humour by forming the Telangana Brahmin Samkshema Parishad in 2017, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had promised to set up special corporations for other upper castes like Reddys and Vysyas.
The community leaders pointed out that there was no stay order on implementation of the EWS quota by any court in other states or by the Supreme Court. Reddy Jagruthi founder-president Pitta Srinivas Reddy recalled that over 50,000 EWS students from upper castes had applied for admission into various engineering and professional courses for the coming academic year. Though Eamcet-based admission forms had an EWS option, the government did not implement it.
Srinivas Reddy said though the central law gave flexibility to states to fix the reservation based on population of a particular general category community, the state has not done it till now. “We will be holding a massive public meeting if the government does not come out with dates to implement the EWS quota by this month-end,” he warned.
The coming together of the associations of various upper caste communities assumes significance as they enjoy a considerable influence among voters. “With the changed political scenario after Dubbak and GHMC elections, the government cannot afford to sit over the issue. It has to take a decision sooner or later,” said a political analyst.
Telangana State Planning Board vice chairman B Vinod Kumar said the government was aware of the demands being put forward by the upper castes and other communities. “Several representations have been submitted, some of which state that the population of a few communities is less than 10%. As a result quota for these communities should be less than 10%. The government is seriously looking into these issues,” he told TOI.
Telangana State Council of Higher education chairman T Papi Reddy said they have written to the government and are awaiting orders for implementing the EWS quota for admissions into educational institutions.