The Hindu : Front Page : Congress backs bandh call on OBC quota

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 04, 2007
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Congress backs bandh call on OBC quota

Special Correspondent

Parties seek constitutional remedies to get court order vacated

HYDERABAD: For the first time in the recent past, the ruling party expressed solidarity with the Opposition's bandh call on April 4 to protest against the Supreme Court's order staying the 27 per cent reservations for Other Backward Classes in institutions of higher learning.

Just as the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, the Congress joined hands with the other political parties, including the TDP, the Left, TRS, MIM and the BJP, in seeking all possible legal and constitutional remedies to get the apex court's stay vacated. This decision was in tune with a unanimous resolution adopted by the Assembly last week urging the Centre to act in the matter.

Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy asked the APSRTC after a review meeting to withdraw all its bus services across the State on Wednesday while the Education Department announced postponement of examinations, including the ongoing SSC exam.

Minister for Rural Development D. Srinivas told reporters that the Government was committed to implementing the OBC quota and would back every effort to vacate the Supreme Court's stay. When contacted, the South Central Railway authorities said there was no change in the schedule of trains on the bandh day. The APSRTC authorities said bus services would resume from Wednesday evening.

APCC president K. Keshava Rao, in a statement, hoped the bandh would open the eyes of those who had turned a blind eye to the social realities and preferred to perpetuate the hegemony of caste exploitation.

Appeal to judiciary

He urged the judiciary to realise the spirit of democratic polity that demanded affirmative action.

Meanwhile, the Government asked the administration to gear up for the bandh to prevent law and order problems. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi has announced rail roko while the other parties warned of road blocks. President of Andhra Pradesh BC Welfare Association R. Krishnaiah thanked the political parties for extending support to the BCs' cause and said hospitals and medical shops would be exempted from the bandh. Several BC organisations and others gave a call to make the bandh a success.

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