OBCs demand reservations proportionate to their population

Vijayawada: A high-level meeting of OBC employees from all over India in Chennai demanded that the centre provide reservations in promotions to backward class communities, remove creamy layer, conduct caste census and increase reservations for BCs as per the size of their population.

Addressing the employees, National BC Welfare Association president and MP R. Krishnaiah called upon employees to be united in fighting for their just cause. He maintained that despite constituting 56 percent of the population, OBCs have failed in fighting for their just demands.

Krishnaiah said the Mandal Commission had recommended reservation for BCs in promotions. A parliamentary committee too backed this recommendation. The Supreme Court also issued a judgement saying SCs, STs and BCs be provided reservation in promotions in case they are inadequately represented in employment in proportion to their population size.

He maintained that BCs are being discriminated against because of the provision for creamy layer. He wondered why the creamy layer has been imposed on BCs when it is not there among SCs, STs, differently-abled and women.

The MP cautioned that if the centre is allowed to go ahead with privatisation of public sector units, government departments, railways, LIC, defence institutions and others, reservation for SCs, STs, and BC will be lost in these entities.

Referring to how suppressed people in nations like Russia, China, Germany and Korea have revolted against their respective governments, he warned that India will also witness a revolution if people belonged to poor castes are not treated fairly.

Meanwhile, Krishnaiah has been felicitated in Hyderabad by various BC unions after having been appointed as a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee.