OBC quota will result in conflict, increase gen seats

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Apr 10: Taking a surprising stand, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati today said the decision to reserve 27 per cent seats for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Central educational institutions will lead to their confrontation with upper castes, and demanded an increase in general seats to avoid this situation.

''My party fully supports the UPA Government in implementng the decision to earmark a quota for OBCs in educational institutions,including IIM and IITs, but feels that the Congress should have thought of the reaction of upper castes while taking the decison, and created more seats for general students'' said Ms Mayawati addressing a news conference here.

She said she had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the repercussions of the decision and suggested to him that general seats should be increased so that the interest of upper caste students were not harmed.

The BSP supported the bill for OBC quota in educational institutions in Parliament and would support the government in implementing the law but could not be oblivious of the fact that an agitation was building up among upper caste students which might escalate the social tensions, the former Uttar pradesh Chief Minister added.

The BSP leader also expressed surprise over the ''timing of the decision'' and refused to give any credit to the Congress party for it.

''The credit for reservation to OBCs should only go to Dr Ambedkar, through whose efforts Article 340 was inserted in the Constitution providing that the government might take measures for social, educational and economic advancement of Other Backward Classes. And it was under this Article that the Mandal Commission was constituted, she pointed out.

UNI

For Daily Alerts
Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
X