india

Updated: Jan 08, 2019 00:11 IST

The Congress dubbed the Centre’s decision on Monday to provide 10% quota for the so-called economically backward sections (EWS) a political gimmick but hinted that it will support the bill in Parliament. A clutch of other opposition parties opposed the move, saying the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had grown desperate ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The Congress, which recently trounced the BJP in three heartland states, said that without job creation, reservation in employment would just be another “jumla”(empty promise).

“Without interfering with the constitutional mandate of reservation given to Dalits, Adivasis and backward classes in any manner, we have always supported that those who are genuinely poor and who are not covered under these sections may also be given benefit of opportunities and reservation, both in education and employment,” said Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

The government will bring a constitution amendment bill in Parliament on Tuesday. The bill has to be passed in each House by a majority of the total membership of that House and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.

After that, it will have to be passed by at least half of all state legislatures. Asked whether the Congress will support a bill for the quota in Parliament, Surjewala said, “The son or daughter of a person who is economically poor should get their share in education and employment. We will support all steps for this.”

Senior party leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi questioned the legality of the move. “Did you (government) not think of this for four years and eight months? So, obviously thought of as an election gimmick three months before the model code. You know you cannot exceed 50% cap, so it is done only to posture that you tried an unconstitutional thing,” he tweeted. Communist Party of India’s (CPI) D Raja said the move exposed the BJP’s fear of losing a vote base. “What exactly they (government) have decided we don’t know. How they have defined ‘backwardness’ we don’t know. Already the Supreme Court has put a cap on reservation at 50 per cent. That has not been challenged by the Central government, which means the cap remains. So in this case, what Supreme Court is going to do we don’t know,” he said.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also hinted the move was a political gimmick. “The government should extend Parliament session and bring constitutional amendment immediately. Else it is merely an election stunt,” Kejriwal tweeted, but hinted his party would support the bill. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said she would be happy if people from weaker sections got jobs but questioned the government on constitutionally and legality.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan welcomed the move. The Nationalist Congress Party wondered if the Union cabinet’s move was the “beginning” of cancellation of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Opposition parties in Bihar dismissed the decision as an electoral stunt. “The NDA [National Democratic Alliance] is in dire straits and Lok Sabha polls are round the corner. The move is a desperate attempt to win over a section of the society with a misleading promise,” said former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha.