Natl BC Welfare Association Prez Warns of Counter-Agitations Over Anti-Reservation Protests
Hyderabad, Aug 22 (TNT): National BC Welfare Association President and Rajya Sabha MP, R Krishnaiah on Saturday warned of counter-agitations if protests against reservations continued, saying anti-reservation campaigns could trigger social and political tensions.
Reacting to the protest held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Friday by groups opposing reservations, Krishnaiah termed the agitation “unjust and deplorable” and appealed to the protesters to withdraw their agitation.
Krishnaiah said reservations were introduced to address historical social and educational inequalities and promote social justice, asserting that any attempt to oppose or weaken the system would face resistance from BC, SC and ST communities.
He claimed that BC communities continued to be under-represented in senior positions in Central government services and public-sector institutions despite the implementation of reservations, and argued that the system needed to continue to address such disparities.
The BC leader alleged that sections opposing reservations were unable to accept the advancement of backward communities and were attempting to revive an issue that could divide society.
He said political and social energies should instead be directed towards addressing unemployment, poverty, caste discrimination and corruption.
Krishnaiah warned that any escalation in anti-reservation protests would prompt BC, SC and ST organisations to launch counter-agitations on a larger scale.
Referring to the 1986 agitation in the state and the protests following the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations in 1990, he said reservation-related confrontations had previously led to widespread political and social mobilisation.
He urged political parties and social organisations to address reservation-related issues through democratic and constitutional means and cautioned against attempts that could deepen caste-based divisions.
Krishnaiah also said that efforts to create social divisions were inappropriate at a time when the country was pursuing economic and social progress.
TNT TS
