Government for Opposition support on promotion quotas

The government on Monday called upon the Opposition parties to help build consensus for legislative actions on reservation in promotion, besides giving statutory backing to the OBC quota.

Union minister of social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot, while replying to discussions on demands for grants for his ministry, admitted that there are sections within the treasury and the Opposition benches as well who are opposed to steps to give reservation in promotion for SCs and STs, besides the statutory status for the OBC quota policy.

“Our government is committed to reservation. There should be no doubt that the government will review the reservation policy. The government also favours reservation in promotion,” Mr Gehlot said, adding that there is a need to evolve consensus on the issue among the members of the House.

While intervening, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge had sought to know from the minister on government’s commitment to pass the bill for reservation in promotion for SCs and STs. The Rajya Sabha, during the UPA government at the Centre had passed the bill, which, however, was not cleared by the Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha passed the demands for grants of the ministry with voice vote after rejecting a few cut motions moved by the Opposition members.

“If the Congress can give in writing that it favoured reservation in promotion for members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Caste, the government will push forward the proposal,” the minister said, adding that there are a few MPs within the ruling party who are not favourably disposed to such an initiative.

The Opposition MPs, while taking part in the discussions, also demanded that the government should get reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs in the private sector, to which the minister said that the members should help in evolving a conducive atmosphere for such an idea.

Meanwhile, a BJP member in the Lok Sabha criticised the judiciary over its “extra-constitutional judicial activism”, saying it makes various institutions accountable but does not take responsibility for clearing the backlog of cases. Mr Udit Raj spoke against a recent Madhya Pradesh high court verdict which has set aside the quota in promotion for the SCs and STs in state government services since 2002 and demanded its rollback.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, he said the Atal Behari Vajpayee government had brought an amendment in support of reservation in promotions which was validated by the Supreme Court later.