The hostility between the government and the BJP escalated on Wednesday, with the former making it clear that it was determined to push ahead with the constitutional amendment Bill to provide for reservation in promotions to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
Earlier in the day, the government introduced the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, amid continuing chaos and hold-ups.
The Congress issued a whip to its members to be present in the House on Thursday to see the Bill through. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said: “This is a social justice measure with wide political support.”
The BJP was clearly taken aback by the move, which, in one stroke, shifted the focus from Coalgate to social justice. The government’s strategy seemed to be two-fold. If the BJP supported the bill, it would be a victory for the government. If the BJP opposed it, the government could turn around and say the party was against affirmative action.
However, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “The government has no interest in social justice at all. It has brought in this Bill only to deflect attention from the coal blocks allocation scam. It is firing from the shoulders of [BSP chief] Mayawati whose commitment to fight corruption is anyway suspect.”
Mr. Prasad argued that the CBI raids on coal block allottees had exposed the Congress and the government. “On a day of serious developments in Coalgate which left the government embarrassed, it rushes to bring in this Bill. It is a clever ploy of diversion.”
Batting for the Congress, Renuka Chowdhary and Jairam Ramesh said the Bill needed to be passed urgently in order to get round two court judgments. They said reservation in promotions was not new and had been in force between 1955 and 1995. Besides, the Bill had support across the political spectrum, a fact that was reflected at the August 21 all-party meeting convened by the Prime Minister.
Mr. Ramesh pointed out that at the meeting, only the Samajwadi Party had expressed reservations: “Much as we find the SP’s position unfortunate, it was not unforeseen. But the opposition from the BJP is clearly politically motivated.”
The BJP expressed misgivings on two counts. The party said the Bill was cleared at an unscheduled meeting of the Cabinet, and it did not go through the Business Advisory Committee. This suggested the government was in a huge hurry to push through a measure that needed to be debated properly. Secondly, while the party supported social justice, its backing was subject to “the limitation of constitutional permissibility.”
BJP sources said the party felt discomfited in going along with a constitutional amendment Bill that was against the spirit of Supreme Court judgments on reservation.
Keywords: SC/ST quota bill, SC/ST promotion bill, Rajya Sabha, P.K. Bansal
In a country that is desperately in need of reform and swift policy
implementations the right wing BJP is stubborn in impeding every
decision.
The BJP is a party with no solution just opposition.
The BJP is an elitist party which does not understand the suffering of
the poor masses.
The people will see through the evil designs of the BJP just as they
did in 2004.
The BJP is an anti-"Social Justice" pro-elitist party that just wants
to rule India.
the shamefulness cannot be hidden by devious acts of antipeople UPA.
How long can they hide out?????
Long live mother India without these kind of politicians who put our nation to shame
in the world.
BJP is not aback . They are part of the play.
The Congress that claim giving us independence and the Mashiha of Dalits has done nothing for them for 65 yr and now creating another illegitimate carrot to underplay the big scams.
Every one knows that Dalits has been underprivileged pre independence , but unfortunately with all schemes around they are still underprivileged and so are the people from other cast and religions are ... So we should strongly protest any cast/religion based politics.
Financial help should be provided for education and creating job opportunities but job should be given only on the basis of credibility and qualification .
Politician wants to grab the finance part of it by give carrot of quota.
reservation should be banned (except for st people only)
Our politicians know how to remain in power. In times of survival problems, appeasement politics is time-tested for producing desired results. Never mind if you do not even have a simple majority of your own in the House. It is painfully surprising to note that even getting a two-thirds majority in Parliament to pass a constitutional amendment is a child’s play, especially when the purpose is to appease some powerful section of people.
Yes, powerful, indeed they are, the so-called suppressed. Even the Supreme Court is nothing for them. It is very wrong to argue that capable people from the suppressed class have not reached the top echelons of power.
The same parliament cannot pass an amendment to bring Electoral Reforms to weed out criminals and thugs from the electoral arena, even after they are castigated severely several times by various courts, including Supreme Court. What does this mean? It is just simply right to assume that the parliament is supporting criminal elements.
why the bjp not willing to move in the session , the reservation bill
is a social justification with valid reasons to provide 22.5% in
promotions to the sc and st empployes by the state govts it is most
appropriate auction on the part of the govt to provide all
justicications in the govt posts also.
it is constitutional and it is within the limitations of
constitutional permissibility, cabinet taken a correct decision only
it definitely help the nation , so let us hope both the houses clear
the bill in this mansoon session only, hope bjp help the bill to move
without any delay.
We know social justice is important but the Goverment should keep in
mind that if we do not generate how would we distribute.2G and Coalgate
are against the principle of social justice.
Absolutely agree with MR KMN Sharma. The focus hasn't been shifted, but
the fact is this article is trying to do so. This is unbecoming of
journalistic ethics Hindu. Not done.
The bill is red herring of the congress to divert attention from the
turmoil going on in parliment.they are not interested in it and it will
go the same way as the womens reservation bill went
Congress's COLGATE is like water gate scandal in US.
They are quick SAND , More they try get themselves absolved more they are getting burried in it.
I am sure the congress and the UPA understands people (at least now) are not fools not noticing their ploys to deflect attention from all the corruption they have nurtured as a culture in the government for so long. It would have been much more helpful had the government came clean for a discussion at least, especially when even some of the biggest and popular dailies around the globe are accusing and mocking the government and the PM.
The post uses a misleading heading. Who says the focus from Coalgate has shifted? The scams during UPA regime have etched permanent scars on the national ethos and will stay in focus until the regime is shown the exit door. Why is media not staying focused on the problems this regime has subjected the common man to? Instead they are helping this corrupt regime to continue plundering us. The Hindu have not even published the Washinton Post article on our 'silent' PM. Well done, The Hindu!
'Social justice!' Wow!! At a time, when the drought ridden country's coal is burning and the flames are steadily consuming the Congress party !!! So, the Congress party has, by default, admitted that all through its regime so far the so called social justice was not in its radar and the party abdicated its prime responsibility in its pursuit to strike it rich wherever it laid its hands on. Are we not reminded of Indira Gandhi's steps to abolish privy purses and nationalisation of banks, in the name of social justice to primarily pursue her personal agenda and divert the nation's attention and blunt the opposition she had from within, then?
Promotions or reservation on the basis of caste or tribe cannot be justified.Only the deserving should be allowed to move ahead. This is common logic. The problem is political parties do not go by common logic but are driven by their vote banks. Every day we have a new scam coming up, politicians fighting like ruffians in parliament and that too in the upper house, the so called 'House of Elders'!!! Wonder where all this leads to.....
Rampant corrurption and the politics of dividing the people on the basis of caste/religion for short term gains will destroy the country.
Every other day this govt seems to be inventing bills which subvert the
Constitution and judicial wisdom, wrongly assuming it will give
political dividends. Unfortunately, it justifies BJP's rather
inappropriate stand of not letting the house function!
Ironically, Government is making best effort to privatize all the
sectors in one hand and giving some reservation in promotion in the
shrinking sectors on the other. It does not benefit the SC/STs in long
run. The same SC/ST should rather be given new employment and Government
by filling the posts. Government should rather make the reservation in
private sector compulsory if they want the real benefit to SC/STs.
This amendment will spoil the morale of the staff who are superseeded by the
beneficiaries.
this is certainly bad..very bad indeed.. you can give reservation for the upliftment od SC/ST in jobs but promotions should be purely based on merit.. this is nothing but vote bank politics.. why dont congress issue a whip for Lokpal
Constitutional amendment has become the bread & butter of many political
parties to enhance their vote bank. This has become a tool though which
supreme court is made to agree to the terms of politicians, which was
once rejected by it.
I fail to understand the rationale behind this move.
Weaker section need support in primary education, to an extent in college education.Why reservation for higher education( master and Phds)? One needs support till one can stand beyond a point this very support breeds laziness and incompetency.
One can't really justify why one needs reservation in jobs?
Isn't education and learning the only way to qualify exams?
On top of it now the government thinks about reservation
in promotion. Can the ones bringing this bill explain,
what objective they are trying to achieve by this move?
Shouldn't promotion be based on your work and ability. What has it
got to do with the cast? How can incompetent people be promoted
just because they belong to a particular cast? What measures have been taken to ensure that this bill wont be misused and rather
than helping the weaker lot it wont breed laziness ?
Shouldn't there be a system to exclude kids of people who have benefited from reservation.
caste base reservation is dangerous for our country.A union code is necessary for progress .reservation will be on base of economic condition of citizen.because quantity is forgotten after some time but quality will remember up to long time.caste base politics is distroying our culture,unity,nation pride,break our emotions,week our infrastrure
Reservations in Promotions as-well? God, Save India!
Don't we have enough reservations? Any one needs to perform well to get promotions. It should not be given based on the caste/community :(
Its shame that politicians learned a way to weaken the system by consistantly drawing blood of votes using Caste system cards. what would be the fate of the country if we keep de moralizing the hard working employees with promoting those who don't know much work at all !! how is this going to improve social condition of those SCs still living in slums and small huts ? Congress was the blessing before Indipendence. Sure its a curse after independence.
Giving opportunity to backward class candidates is well and good but when they are already getting age relaxation and fee exemption in higher education and in competitive exams also,it is simply not justified to giving them another extra opportunity to get promoted in Government service.It will be frustrating for general category employees that his/her SC/ST colleague will get promoted based on reservation.
Shameless congress government....they want India to move back to the past so that they
can just ruin India in the way they want....
One of the Best Example of HOW the politicians want to dilute the sysytem by introducing based on quota,not on the basis of performance,politicians are Shame on the So called 65 + years matured Democracy.
This vote bank politics should now needs to brought in notice of supreme court throuh PIL & challenged on the basis of:
1)Right of equal oppurtunity
2)principal of fair practice
3)Govt inefficiency & no Defined Target date & action plan to uplift the reserved category person &
4) date for the elimination of all sort of reservation,similar to the order passed by Suprem court to Do the rebidding of 2G licence or face the strict court orders.
Reason is How many years this country will be fooled by this fox politicians.shame on them.
Every thinking man and that would include those from the so-called
Dalits will wonder why the Governement is creating a permanent class
of under-privileged people, depending on doles and hand outs and
privileges based on caste.. They are now a proud lot after the
concessions they had been given in the matter of admissions,
jobs,promotions etc., At the same time there are (perhaps) some who do
not want to decline privileges handed to them for free in a platter.
Most of them would prefer a level playing field,after over sixty
years of Independence.
Last 60 years we are asking and the share in the government is negligible .
Post of prime minister and president of India should reserve along
with all state chief minister's post for OBC, SC and ST . Because they
are the maximum population of India. A few percentage people of
higher cast controlling the money and power deprieving the common
people of India. These hypocritical class enjoying all facilities by
the vote of the common people. Doing the race and religion politics
they want to stay in power. Reservation is nothing but a eye
wash.There are lots poor people in every cast. Every citizen have
the right of equality in every sphere of life. Lack of honest
leadership, these days are coming quickly when India will be so many
independent states. History will repeat.
Reservation has out-lived its purpose.It ought to be scrapped from the
statute books lock,stock and barrel.
What else should I say when politicians are ruining the interest of the country for the sake of votes? Welcome to the death of merit!
Promotion is about the good character & leadership,not about the castes & if reserve them, then there will be no priority for the leadership.
already we have so many reservations in various government sectors SC/ST do we need it again in promotions? what about the other communities.
The bill will lead to discrimination and disrespect in the workplace
which is ironical to the need of reservation .
One more ad hoc to bring UPA out from current apathetic phase and move to benefit it in 2014 elections.
Wish they could think of improving intelect of SC/ST rather giving them free promotion in jobs. Already country is giving them privilages by providing reservation in institutes. I think one impetus is enough to uplift anybody. This is double benefit to anybody who's already been benefited.
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