Former MP V. Hanumantha Rao calls for raising reservation ceiling

Congress senior leader and former MP V. Hanumantha Rao expressed that lifting the reservation cap is essential to ensure social justice for BCs, SCs, and STs across the country. “Only if the reservation ceiling is lifted can justice truly be done for these marginalised communities,” Mr. Rao stated, citing Tamil Nadu’s progressive stance on the reservation and the recent appeal by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to raise the current reservation ceiling.

At a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday, Hanumantha Rao echoed Mr. Pawar’s views. He further remarked that if Rahul Gandhi were Prime Minister, a bill addressing the reservation ceiling would already have been passed in Parliament, pushing the nation towards more inclusive policies. He also advocated for holding local body elections after a caste-based census to ensure equitable representation for weaker sections.

Mr. Rao did not miss the opportunity to criticise the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), stating that despite popular schemes such as Dalit Bandhu and Rythu Bandhu, the party is struggling due to lack of introspection. “The BRS is quick to criticize the Congress government in the State but fails to reflect on why it is losing ground. The party is on the verge of disappearing as it lacks intellectual retrospection,” he warned.

Published - October 05, 2024 07:00 pm IST