Ruckus In Odisha Assembly Over Reservation For Students

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha assembly on Saturday witnessed a noisy protest by opposition Congress and BJP members over alleged denial of proper reservation for the ST, SC and OBC candidates in the admission into technical institutions, MBBS and BDS courses, following which the House was adjourned till 4 pm. The issue was raised by Congress Legislature Party Leader Rama Chandra Kadam during the Zero Hour where he alleged that the ST, SC and OBC students were losing several seats as the administration denied them "proper quota".

He alleged that the STs, SCs & OBCs who constitute 94 per cent of the state's population could not get proper reservation as provided by the Constitution. The agitating Congress members also demanded a caste census in the state, which would help the administration make provisions for the proportional reservations for different categories.

"Though the ratio of ST & SC population in the state is 38.75 per cent, they are given only 20 per cent reservation in the admissions. Similarly, the OBCs, who are 50 per cent of the state's population, could not get any reservations," Kadam pointed out. The Congress leader alleged that though OBCs are entitled to get 27 per cent reservation in admission to MBBS and BDS courses, they get nothing.

However, the government has kept a provision of 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker people of the general category who constitute only 6 per cent of the population, Kadam alleged. He claimed, while the ST and SC categories lose around 300 seats due to improper quota, the OBCs lose around 376 seats. The OBCs deserve a 27 per cent quota in the state, he said.

“Therefore, the admission process which starts from August 29 should be cancelled and a fresh notification should be issued after proper reservations for ST, SC and OBC category students,” Kadam said. BJD member Arun Kumar Sahoo also expressed concern and demanded that the OBC students be provided at least 11.25 per cent reservations during the admissions, as they get during recruitments.

BJP member Tankadhar Tripathy, however, criticised the BJD and Congress for raising ST, SC and OBC issues with a vested political interest. "What did the BJD government do for these categories during its 24-year rule in Odisha,” Tripathy asked.

Seeking a ruling from the Speaker, the opposition members staged an agitation in the well of the House and raised anti-BJP slogans. As Speaker Surama Padhy's appeal to the agitating members failed to yield any result, she adjourned the proceeding till 4 pm in two phases.

When the House reassembled at 4 PM and a debate on the demands of works and rural development departments began, the agitating Congress members walked out of the assembly and staged a dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Vidhan Sabha premises. They demanded proportional quotas for different categories and a caste census in Odisha.