Telangana Congress will support hike in ST quota: Shabbir Ali

HYDERABAD: Telangana Congress senior leaders on Friday had a detailed discussion on the proposed increase in quota for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and the ongoing case in the Supreme Court on the 4 percent Muslim reservation.

Supreme Court senior lawyer Salman Khurshid, who was in Hyderabad on Friday, visited the residence of former minister Mohammed Shabbir Ali in Jubilee Hills. Salman Khurshid is representing Shabbir Ali in the Supreme Court in the 4 percent Muslim quota case.

TPCC President and MP A Revanth Reddy, former union minister Balram Naik, TPCC Senior Vice-President Zafar Javeed and other senior leaders were also present on the occasion.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Shabbir Ali informed that the Congress leaders discussed the possible legal hurdles and implications if the State Government increased the quota for Scheduled Tribes (STs) from 6 percent to 10 percent by issuing a GO. Congress leaders were of the view that the quota for STs should be increased without any legal complications and that all safeguards should be taken to ensure that the Scheduled Tribes get the immediate benefit from the hike in their quota in jobs and education.

However, they expressed apprehension that Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) might not honour his words and would not issue the promised GO to increase the quota for STs on one or the other pretext.

Further, a detailed discussion was held on the ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on the 4% Muslim quota.