Include private institutions in Quota bill: CPI(M)

New Delhi, Aug 25 (UNI) Demanding enlargmenmt of the ambit of the reservation bill to include private institutions, the CPI(M) today asserted that they would continue to press for their viewpoint both inside the House and the Standing Committee.

''Indeed, the very purpose of the Bill was to include the private institutions, but it is unfortunate that the government has not done so. The government did not need the bill the way it has piloted it in the Lok Sabha today. Even a simple executive order could have sufficed,'' CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury told newspersons at a press conference in the precincts of Parliament, where party leaders Basudeb Acharia and Mohd Salim were also present.

Mr Yechury noted that as the total population of the OBCs in the country was 52 per cent, so the 27 per cent reservation for them was ''no big deal''.

On the controversy over singing of Vande Mataram, the Left leaders maintained that singing it was the choice of an individual or the instituion. ''Why should we force anybody? If you remember when it was found out that people did not due respect to the national anthem played at the end of a film in cinema halls, leading to the practice being stopped,'' the Left leaders said, noting that every thing should be done in a ''respectable manner.'' The left leaders, regretting that they could not debate a structured debate on two crucial issues -- growing unemployment and Approach Paper to the 11th Plan, said, however, they were able to discuss some of the people's issues -- spiralling price rise, the agrarian crisis and incidence of farmers' suicide, violation of labour laws, Indo-US nuclear deal and the Justice Pathak Committee Report among other things.

''It is still unfortunate after approval of the Plan Paper in the forthcoming National Development Council (NDC) meeting in October, then there will be no use of discussion in the House,'' Mr Acharia said.

On the ''mismanagement and undermining'' of the PDS, further adding to price rise, Mr Yechury said the latestic statics showed that the number of the BPL people, according to the last census was 861.76 lakh.

''But as much as 32 per cent less PDS food grains is being supplied to the PDS ration shops,'' he said, adding that the first-ever all India union of the Ration Shop keepers had been formed.

He said they would soon come to the national capital to lodge their protest against the government policy of reducing the PDS ration.

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