New Delhi, June 02: Congress today rejected the Centre's proposal to set up a commission for granting reservation to economically poor sections of the society and demanded that NDA government should go in for an amendment to the constitution to achieve this objective. "The Centre's knee-jerk reaction on the Rajasthan government's proposal to provide 14 per cent reservation to other castes based on economic criteria, is not acceptable to congress party. We demand that government should go in for amendment to the constitution to achieve this objective", party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters here. Accusing the government of taking the issue lightly, he said the party will support any such legislation brought before Parliament.

Stating that the bill passed by Parliament would be effective for the entire country, Sharma asserted that the party was committed for the continuation of the ongoing reservations for SC/ST and OBCs.
On the two Chief Ministers Digvijay Singh and Sushil Kumar Shinde expressing reservations about such quota, he said this decision, supporting Rajasthan government's move, was "unanimous".
"The decision of Rajasthan government is not implementable, any attempt to make reservation for economically-backward among the upper castes would need amendment" Singh told reporters.


"We are studying the issue. I cannot take a unilateral decision because ours is a coalition government (with NCP)," Shinde said adding he favoured giving financial assistance to people belonging to economically-backward among upper castes for self-employment. Bureau Report