No plan to change reservation policy: Rajnath Singh on row over dilution of SC'ST Act

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday clarified that it has no plan to do away with the reservation policy for Dalits, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The clarification on the issue came from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the wake of violent protests against Supreme Court's alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The assurance from the Home Minister came a day after violent protests claimed at least ten lives from across the country.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh dubbed as rumours the speculation that the government wanted to end the reservation system. "Rumours are being spread about reservation policy, it is wrong,'' he said.

"I appeal to all political parties to help in maintaining peace and amity in the country," he said amid noisy protests in the House.

As the Home Minister rose to speak on the issue, the Opposition MPs created a ruckus inside the Lok Sabha and repeatedly shouted ''we want justice'' slogans.   

Opposition MPs were on their feet in protest against the Supreme Court's March 20 order allegedly diluting certain provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Defending the government, Rajnath Singh said, ''We acted swiftly and had already filed a petition in the top court seeking review of its order.''

Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, however, countered this by saying the government's Additional Solicitor General had given his consent to the Supreme Court's decision of diluting te SC/ST Act.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia too said the "dilution in the Act has already been done" and pressed for a discussion on the issue.

AIADMK members, meanwhile, created further ruckus and gathered near Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's podium demanding an early constitution of the Cauvery Water Management Board that would oversee a water-sharing arrangement between the Tamil Nadu, Karantaka, Kerala and Puducherry.

Scindia also raised the issue of no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against the government.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar earlier said that the government was ready for debating the motion and blamed the Congress for creating disruptions.

"They are trying to halt the democratic process in the House," Ananth Kumar said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Mahajan said she was unable to proceed with the no-confidence motion notice and adjourned the House for the day.

It is the last week of the Budget Session that began on January 29 and went on break on February 9.

The session resumed on March 5 and is to conclude on April 6.

The post-break part of the session has been completely washed away amid an unending logjam in both Houses of parliament. Important budget bills were passed without debate amid protests.

(With IANS inputs)