Uproar Over SC Ruling: Opposition Says Centre Has Failed to Defend Reservation System

New Delhi: Opposition parties in Lok Sabha on Monday targeted the government over the Supreme Court order that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments, saying the Centre has failed to defend the reservation system.

Hitting back, the government accused the Congress of trying to politicise a sensitive issue. "This is my charge that the Congress is politicising the sensitive issue," Defence Minister and deputy leader of the House Rajnath Singh said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi also urged Speaker Om Birla to expunge remarks made by Opposition members against the government.

Birla said he would look into the issue.

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Kalyan Banerjee (Trinamool Congress) targeted the government, saying there had been an onslaught on Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe reservation since the Narendra Modi government came to power.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot will make a statement on the issue in Lok Sabha later in the day.

While the Congress alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is not in favour of reservation to these communities, the Centre said Opposition parties were politicising this sensitive matter.

Congress members were in the Well, shouting slogans "Modi Sarkar Hai Hai, Modi Government Shame Shame".

SC Ruling

The Supreme Court has held that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments and there is no fundamental right to claim quota in promotions.

The apex court was dealing with pleas regarding Uttarakhand government's September 5, 2012 decision to fill up all posts in public services in the state without providing reservation to SC/STs.

Chirag Paswan (Lok Janshakti Party), a BJP ally, said the government should immediately interfere in the matter and put the reservation subject in the Ninth Schedule so that no one approaches the Supreme Court on these issues.

He said the order of the court and behaviour of Opposition on the matter was impacting a big population of the country.

"I request the central government to strengthen the reservation system. We cannot even discuss the issue of ending reservation," Paswan said.

Kalyan Banerjee (TMC) said the Constitution provides that reservation is a constitutional and fundamental right.

A Raja (DMK) said there were reasons to believe that the government was not in favour of reservation.

"I urge the central government that they should file a review petition on this and also put the subject in the ninth schedule," Raja said.

Rajiv Ranjan (BJP) said it is a "very sensitive" issue and the House has one view on it. "No politics should happen on this matter," he said

Ritesh Pandey (Bahujan Samaj Party) alleged the Central government was against SC/ST and dalits.

Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal) said, "I want to register my objection and disagreement with the Supreme Court's order and this is very unfortunate also".

She said one of the reason for such orders are low representation of SC/ST and OBCs in judiciary.

"The government should immediately intervene in the

matter," she said.

E T Mohammed Basheer (Indian Union Muslim League) said the government could not be a silent spectator on the matter.

CPI (M) member A M Ariff said the government should file a review petition on this.

Supriya Sule (NCP) said the government should immediately

address the matter. "We need action, we don't need only words," she added.