Jodhpur, Sept 17: Putting the onus of reservation for the economically weaker among the upper castes on the BJP-led NDA government, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot today said it was now for the Centre to decide about granting them 14 percent reservation.
"The state cabinet had decided to grant 14 per cent reservation to the people belonging to the poor among the upper castes. I had raised the matter with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who has appointed a committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani. It is now for the Vajpayee government to take a decision on the issue," he told after the conclusion of the two-day Jan Sampark Abhiyan.
He recalled that Vajpayee at a rally on august eight had promised to take steps for granting reservation to upper castes. "What has happened to those promises. He has forgotten it once he reached Delhi," he alleged.
The Chief Minister said the party's stand on the issue as clarified by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at Sri Nagar favoured the move initiated by the Rajasthan government.
About the reaction of SCs/STs/OBCs to the Congress stand, he said it was significant that that they are welcoming it.
On granting minority status to the Jain community, Gehlot said it was a long pending demand of the community and the state government's decision was not in view of the coming Assembly elections.
He assailed VHP's proposed Ayodhya plan and said people of the country were now aware of their "evil designs and reject their divisive tactics".
Bureau Report