Senior Congress leader and former Minister of Social Justice Kumari Selja is critical of the Constitutional Amendment Bill brought by the Centre to ensure reservation for economically weaker forward castes in jobs and in educational institutions. She said while people belonging to the SC, ST and OBC communities do not have reservation in private and self-financing higher education institutions, the new Bill has kept quota for the poor in such institutions. She told BusinessLine in an interview that the Constitutional Amendment Bill is just another gimmick with an eye on the elections. Excerpts

What is your opinion on reservation for the upper caste poor?

We are not against this. Our party had also supported it. But look at the way they have brought it on the last day of the session without discussing it with anyone. It is obvious that it is an election stunt. If they were serious about it, they would have discussed it with other political parties. They could have done it in a much better fashion.

The Bill is a Constitution Amendment Bill. It should have been sent to a Parliamentary committee. It’s probably for the first time in history that a Constitutional Amendment Bill comes up for passage on the last day of the session. The Government should have sent it to a Standing or Select committee. I think they are unable to talk to their own Prime Minister to get back to the Opposition parties. Is this what the country wants?

Will this Bill stand the legal test?

There are flaws in the Bill. It was brought overnight. There are major Constitutional issues involved. Will it stand the test of Indra Sawhney case? How will they circumvent the 50 per cent ceiling set by the Supreme Court? Till today, they have not even brought the Social Economic Survey report. We have been discussing that the reservation for SCs and STs must be brought to the private sector also. The BJP lacks commitment. They realised that vikas will not work as no vikas has happened in the last five years. So, they want to bring in some new kind of an election gimmick.

Will the BJP succeed politically by bringing this Bill?

No, they will not. The unemployment rate is at its highest. We have been urging them to fill up the backlog, which is there for long time. If they are committed to this cause, they would have filled it up. What new jobs they are going to create? How are they going to implement this 10 per cent reservation? You can’t bring a major Constitutional Amendment Bill without giving it a thought.This will have a social impact too. The BJP has been accusing the Congress of playing the caste card to divide society. They want to divert attention from issues such as Rafale scam and unemployment.

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