New Delhi, Aug 24: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's call for making economic backwardness a criterion in job reservation has failed to draw instant support from major political parties, including the Congress, which had mooted the proposal in Rajasthan.
The idea has, predictably, stirred a hornet's nest among
political parties ahead of crucial assembly elections in five states
later this year. Many of them appeared apprehensive about taking a
stand on the controversial issue that could have a bearing on the
polls as well as implications for the future.
Several political leaders indicated that they were not in
favour of tampering with the existing reservation quotas for
scheduled castes and tribes and for other backward classes.
Many of them were not clear about how reservation based on
economic criteria could be implemented when there was a 50 per cent
ceiling on reservations imposed by the Supreme Court.
The Congress had mooted the proposal in Rajasthan, apparently
with an eye on the elections due in the state as well as in Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram in November.
Mr Vajpayee responded to it at a rally in Jaipur on August 10 and
called upon the main opposition party to cooperate with the BJP in
getting a legislation passed in both Houses of Parliament.
All people are not born equal and we have to create a level
playing field for them, the Prime Minister said.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi was, however, non-
committal when asked if his party would support the move in
Parliament, saying there must first be an in depth study of the
proposal.
We believe everything should be done according to law, he said.
There is nothing original in the Prime Minister's proposal. In
fact, it was the Congress which had earlier proposed reservation for
economically weaker sections, especially in Rajasthan and Madhya
Pradesh. The Prime Minister is doing no more than taking the cue
from the Congress, he said.
The idea has been opposed by NDA constituents like DMK and PMK.
Other parties such as the Telugu Desam Party and the Biju Janata Dal
chose to adopt a wait-and-watch policy. The Shiromani Akali Dal took
a cautious approach to the issue while Trinamool Congress supremo
Mamata Banerjee declined to comment, saying let me first study the
proposal.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar and former Uttar
Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh are among the few leaders who
have pledged support for the proposal.
Bureau Report
