JD (U) critical of SC judgement on reservation issue

New Delhi, Oct 20: The Janata Dal (United) has expressed its strong dissentment at the Supreme Court's judgement on the reservation policy.

Reacting on the judgement, party president Sharad Yadav described it as ''unfortunate'' for the downtrodden people as it would deprive them of all promotional aspects.

He said the Supreme Court judgement on reservation for promotion to SCs and STs will lead to the end of it.

''The policy of reservation had not been implemented honestly for the last six decades as powerful sections of society ensured that the OBCs did not get what was due to them in our Constitution,'' Mr Yadav said.

Instead, the judgement has given additional tools in the hands of the powerful sections to deprive the poor of their rights, he added.

Mr Yadav said at the time of Mandal Commission, a nine- member SC bench gave a verdict which was now being rejected by this five- member bench of the same court.

Commenting on the SEZ policy, the JD (U) leader said had it been carried out before 1991, then it would have been a different case but now when the country had opened up under globalisation of economy, what the point was behind opening up of the land sector before the global players. In fact, it amounted to nothing less than a policy of land grabbing, he added.

UNI