The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Congress committed to OBC quota, says APCC chief

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 19, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Congress committed to OBC quota, says APCC chief

Special Correspondent

Says stir on the issue in northern States reflects degeneration in politics

WHAT'S UP: APCC president K. Keshava Rao with BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya at an all-party meeting on OBC reservation in Hyderabad on Sunday. — Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president K. Keshava Rao has said that the recent anti-reservation stir in northern States reflects the degeneration in politics as the agitation targeted a Constitutional amendment by Parliament.

"How credible is such politics of upper castes?" he asked at a meeting organised by State BC Welfare Association here on Sunday.

Mr. Keshava Rao said that those opposing reservations expressed their anger in a manner that everything was over for the country by the 27 per cent quota for OBCs.

They made a hollow claim that merit was a casualty in the process. Merit could be judged only after students underwent courses. They should be evaluated on an even keel to know their worth, he said, adding that merit had no meaning before students joined a course.

`Increase seats'

The APCC chief maintained that Congress was committed to implementing the quota for OBCs.

The Government could increase seats for other castes to make up for their shortage owing to the implementation of the quota but the rule of reservation should be followed for the hiked seats as well.

BJP Secretary B. Dattatreya said that BCs could not expect justice unless they got political reservations. Association president R. Krishnaiah also spoke.

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