Employees of the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Rajya Sabha for voting in favour of the constitutional amendment Bill on reservation in promotion for the SCs. Raising anti-BJP slogans, they staged a sit-in and demonstration at the party headquarters on Ambedkar Marg opposite the Vidhan Bhavan here.
Some protesters smeared the walls of the nearby residence of BJP MP from Lucknow Lalji Tandon with black paint and threw sandals and slippers inside. Mr. Tandon was not present. Anti-quota protesters staged a demonstration before the MP’s residence on Sunday also. Police were deployed heavily at the BJP headquarters and at Mr. Tandon’s residence. Protesters burnt effigies of BJP and Congress leaders.
About 18 lakh State employees are on strike on a call given by the Sarvjan Hitaya Sanrakshan Samiti, an organisation of upper caste and OBC employees and officers opposed to the SC promotion quota. Samiti president Shailendra Dubey said the stir would continue till December 20 after which a meeting would be held to finalise further strategy.
With the caste divide among the State staff becoming deeper, the employees’ anger, particularly of those belonging to the upper castes and a section of the OBCs, against the BJP has rung alarm bells in the party. Already there is talk of a rethink in the party’s strategy on quota in promotion.
Party’s State unit president Laxmi Kant Bajpai has indicated that the BJP’s present stand on the proposed move would affect its chances in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll.
