2 Knowledge Commission Members resign in protest

New Delhi, May 22: Two Members of the Knowldge Commission Pratap Bhanu Mehta and Andra Beteille-- today quit their posts in protest against the Government's move to introduce quota in higher educational institutions.

Their resignation came in the face of the Government expressing its resolve not to roll back the quota decision, though assuring the protestors of devising a mechanism to satisfy those to be affected by the move.

The letters of resignation have been received in the office of the Commssion, an official said.

The Commission's views on the quota for the Other Backward Classes(OBCs) put forward by the Human Resource Development Ministry had recently come under attack by Minister Arjun Singh.

Mr Beteille and Mr Mehta, along with four others members of the Commission, opposed reservation proposals at a meeting of the Commission held in Bangalore recently.

Thereafter, at a press conference in the capital, Commission chairman Sam Petroda had also expressed himself against the policy saying it was absolutely not necessary for the advancement of the OBCs.

UNI