Kavitha to Go on a 3-Day Hunger Strike Demanding a 42 Percent Quota for BCs

Hyderabad: Telangana Jagruthi President and BRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha has announced a 72-hour hunger strike demanding early implementation of 42 per cent reservations for Backward Classes (BC) in local bodies, as well as education and employment.

Speaking at a media conference on Tuesday at Somajiguda Press Club on Tuesday alongside leaders of United Phule Front and BC organizations, Kavitha stated that the hunger strike will take place at Dharna Chowk in Indira Park from 11 AM on August 4 to 11 AM on August 7.

She highlighted that due to the efforts of Telangana Jagruthi and UPF, the state government introduced and passed two separate bills for BC reservations in the Assembly and Council. The BRS MLC noted that the state government had promised to take an all-party delegation to the central government, but has not made any such effort so far.

Accusing the Congress government of merely resorting to rhetoric without taking any concrete steps to get the bill passed by the President of India, she criticised that the previous dharna by the Congress leaders in Delhi was ignored even by their leader, Rahul Gandhi. She accused the Congress of planning another dharna in Delhi for political gains in the Bihar elections, thereby deceiving the BC community.

Referring to the state government’s claims that it will conduct elections to local bodies by September end as per the High Court’s directive, Kavitha emphasised that increasing the BC reservation quota is as crucial as holding elections as per the deadline.

She questioned why the state government has not pursued legal action if the President did not approve the bills passed by the Assembly for more than three months. Likewise, the Governor has not approved the ordinance passed by the state cabinet. The BRS MLC cited Tamil Nadu’s example, where the state government fought legally to secure a higher reservation quota, and asked why Telangana is not doing the same.

She said it would be welcomed if the President approves the bills.  If rejected, the Assembly and Council could re-approve them for a second time to implement the reservations.

Kavitha accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of not pressuring the central government on the issue so as to protect his “big brother” Narendra Modi, alleging a secret agreement with the BJP is stopping the state from approaching the courts. She demanded that petitions be filed immediately in the High Court and Supreme Court to bring pressure on the central government.

Kavitha questioned Minister Ponnam Prabhakar’s call for MLAs and MLCs to voluntarily join a dharna in Delhi. The established practice in democracy is for the government to write to the heads of all political parties seeking their participation in the proposed protest.

Recalling her 72-hour hunger strike in the united Andhra Pradesh for the installation of an Ambedkar statue, which led to the then Kiran Kumar Reddy government conceding the same, Kavitha reiterated that she will undertake a similar hunger strike for the BC bills to become a reality.