Congress castigates Naidu, KCR over religion-based reservation

New Delhi [India]: April 15 (ANI): The Congress on Saturday castigated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Venkaiah Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) for pursuing the 'vote bank politics' through religion-based reservation. Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao said both Naidu and KCR are seeking to consolidate their vote banks in the garb of opposing and supporting religion based reservation. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recently said his government would convene the Legislative Assembly on April 16 to pass a bill to increase quotas to the STs (Scheduled Tribes) and backward sections among Muslims. Union Minister Naidu yesterday termed KCR's move as capable of creating another Pakistan within India. Naidu said that religion-based reservation could promote conversions, lead to social unrest in the country and result in 'creation of another Pakistan'. Talking to ANI, Rao first trained his guns at Naidu and said, "BJP is opposing KCR's move because it wants to consolidate Hindu vote bank by instigating fear of Muslims among Hindus." He alleged that when it is required, BJP join hands Muslims. "BJP should first tell that did it not take help of All India Majlis-e Ittihad al-Muslimin (AIMIM) to divide Muslim votes in recently held state elections," said Rao. He said the Telangana chief minister is also not a well-wisher of minorities, especially Muslims. "Telangana CM KCR says he will give 12 percent reservation to the minorities. Give it, we are not against minorities. But, KCR is a clever politicians as he knows that once his government passes the bill, it will go to the centre for its consent and is likely to be rejected," said Rao. "Once the bill is rejected by the Centre then KCR will cry hoarse that he wanted to increase the reservation quota for Muslims and the STs but the Centre didn't want it," alleged Rao. (ANI)