Assembly passes Bill to enhance SC, ST quota after heated debate

Congress and JD(S) support Bill and ask govt. to ensure its inclusion in 9th schedule

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs J.C. Madhuswamy during the Assembly session at Suvarna Soudha today in Belagavi on Monday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah during the Assembly session at Suvarna Soudha today in Belagavi on Monday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Legislative Assembly, on Monday, passed the Bill that increases the reservation of seats in educational institutions and jobs for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes unanimously, after a heated discussion.

Legislators of both the Congress and the JD(S) announced their whole-hearted support for the Bill and wanted the State government to put pressure on the Centre to bring an amendment to include the Bill in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution to ensure the increased reservation was implemented.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs J.C. Madhuswamy presented the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Bill, 2022. He said that the BJP had given an assurance to the SCs and STs to increase the reservation during the elections. “Once the Bill is passed, we will make efforts at the Union government to ensure it is implemented effectively without any objections from court,” he said.

In private sector

Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah and JD(S) leader Bandeppa Kashempur expressed their support to the Bill. However, they demanded that the increased reservation should be implemented in the private sector too. Responding to the demand, Mr. Madhuswamy said he would discuss the issue with the Chief Minister and if necessary suitable changes would be made while making rules. Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri announced that the Bill had been passed unanimously.

Earlier in the day, the House witnessed heated debate on this issue. Mr. Siddaramaiah said the Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das commission on increasing the reservation was appointed during the JD(S)-Congress coalition government in June 2019. The committee submitted its report recommending the increase in reservation for Scheduled Castes by 2% and Scheduled Tribes by 4% in July 2020. “The government was not bothered to take up the issue for two years. Only after the MLAs raised the issue on the floor of the House and Valmiki Peetha seer staged dharna for 257 days, the government took the decision to increase the reservation,” he said.

Besides, he alleged that the BJP had never supported reservation and always stood against social justice. “With the increase in the reservation, the total reservation has gone up to 56% against the Supreme Court’s ceiling limit of 50%. If the constitution is not amended to suit the increase in the reservation, the court could strike it off. Moreover, the Union government, during the parliament session, made it clear that there is no proposal to enhance the reservation for SC and ST. This shows that the government is trying to score political mileage ahead of elections by enhancing the reservation,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said. 

These comments led to heated argument between members in the Treasury Benches and Opposition. C.T. Ravi, BJP MLA, said the Congress leaders were engaged in making false allegations against the BJP, leading to further arguments.

“During the Vajpayee-led BJP government the Mandal commission’s recommendations were effectively implemented. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who favoured reservation in promotions too,” he said.

Further, he accused the Congress of showing disrespect to architect of Indian constitution B.R. Ambedkar. Congress members K.R. Ramesh Kumar and Priyank Kharge criticised his remarks. Mr. Kharge alleged that RSS people staged protests against B.R. Ambedkar as they wanted only Manusmriti not the Constitution.

Replying to this, Mr. Ravi said RSS always stood by Dr.Ambedkar and challenged Mr. Kharge to prove his allegation. Mr. Kharge should seek apology of the House if he failed to prove his allegation. Mr. Kharge maintained that he would prove his allegations if he was given time to speak.

JD(S) MLA K.M. Shivalinge Gowda argued that the increase in reservation for the SC and ST would not benefit unless the reservation was implemented in the private sector too. “The government should bring in the policy in the private sector. To begin with let the government implement the policy while making temporary recruitment through outsourcing agencies,” he said.