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People want reservation limit to go up from 50-70 per cent: H Anjaneya

In a free wheeling interview with Deccan Chronicle, the minister explained his views on increasing the reservation cap from 50-70 per cent.

Social welfare minister, H. Anjaneya, is a man who does not hold back anything on his mind. He knows how to tackle tricky questions with his inimitable nonchalance and that’s his style. In a free wheeling interview with Deccan Chronicle, the minister explained his views on increasing the reservation cap from 50 to 70 per cent.
Here are excerpts

Can you briefly explain the rationale behind proposing 70 per cent reservation?
(Smiles) There is a long pending demand by the people themselves that the reservation cap needs to be increased from 50 per cent to at least 70 per cent. This is the main reason for our assurance in the Legislative Council last week.

The announcement was made after the BJP's rally. Are you worried or maybe afraid of the BJP's rising popularity?
(Angrily) Who said BJP is rising in the state? It is the Congress party which is liked by one and all. The BJP has nothing new to offer whereas the Congress has many achievements to its credit, which we will showcase when we face polls in 2018. Everyone is aware why the BJP organizes such rallies. In these rallies it only focuses on emotional issues and not practical problems. The Congress party’s rallies are always pro-poor.

Your suggestion and the CM's announcement (on increasing reservation) could face a major problem. How can you give such a solution before opening the caste census report which is yet to reach the government?
(Mockingly) Did you attend the Legislative Council on that day? I think some of your colleague might have attended. When we gave our first reply, it was very clear that the government would take necessary steps to increase the reservation cap once the caste census report is made public. But this reply did not satisfy the members. They, cutting across party lines, demanded that Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, who was present in the House, give a firm assurance, so he gave that assurance.

When your government ordered the caste census, you said you would do justice to all communities. Where are the benefits for others?
How can you arrive at this conclusion even before we have released our report? Mark my words, your question will be appropriately answered once our report is out. Who all have benefitted? I am extremely happy over one thing. The Opposition BJP, which had always opposed our pro-people policies, this time unequivocally came to our support on the issue of increasing the reservation cap.

For others you want to wait for the caste census report, for one section, you are not ready to wait. Why such double standards?
Where is the question of double standards? We made an assurance to the House only after members wanted a firm assurance. We have already made it known to members including those of BJP that the power to increase the reservation cap lies with the Union government. After the caste census report is out, based on these findings, the government will recommend to the Centre to increase reservation.

You are a seasoned politician, but you might not be aware of the case pertaining to Tamil Nadu reservation. The Supreme Court bench is yet to give a ruling on the case pertaining to the TN government's decision reserving 69 per cent seats in jobs and education. So, even if you reserve 70 per cent seats here, it may face a legal hurdle. So, why do you (politicians) adopt such a measure and announce steps to woo voters but do nothing concrete to achieve the objective?
This is where I would like to differ with you. How, can I be responsible for your misunderstanding? I can only say what I want to say. It is left to you to understand it in a language you want to understand. The state government nowhere in its reply said that we will reserve jobs or seats in education. We have only given a firm assurance to the House, that the state government will take all necessary steps to help in increasing the present quota from 50 to 70 per cent. In this case, it is the Union government which has to take the decision on amending the Constitution to help the state governments increase the present limits. Until that happens, neither I nor you can change anything.

Let us now take the example of the Rs 16,000 crore allocation which your government claimed was pathbreaking and revolutionary. After three years, our feedback particularly from Chitradurga, Ballari and Raichur clearly indicates that your schemes are directionless and are not helping the intended communities. Comment.
That might be true in some cases but when you see the complete picture, one will know, how much it has benefited people. To prove our point, soon we will organise a massive rally of beneficiaries, who will felicitate Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

After this 70 per cent reservation promise, you will be left with nothing to offer. Then how will you win the next elections?
Whenever the Congress party announced a scheme, its detractors have always said that they might not go beyond this or that point. But, we know how to bounce back. The challenges which existed in 1947 cannot be the same in 1957 and so on. Challenges keep changing and we politicians and the party know how to handle new challenges. If we fail, people will teach us a lesson and if we pass this challenge, another bigger hurdle will be awaiting us.

Whatever you say, it is more or less clear that the Muslims, Christians, Kurubas and a small section of SCs will be left with you. Your tall claims do not match the real caste equations at the grassroots.
Only time will tell you whether we have understood our grassroots or not. Hadn't we known our grassroots, we would not have been in power for the major part of the post independence era. The Congress party’s motto is to uplift the poor and the vast majority of poor are from these castes. It is not that our schemes haven't helped the poorest section in other communities. What is category 3a and category 3b then? Have not the poorest among the Lingayats and Vokkaligas benefitted from this reservation? The Congress has always been concerned about the poor and it will continue to be so irrespective of the criticism it may attract.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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