Paswan for joint session of Parliament on quota

Patna, Apr 26: Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said that the deadlock created following the Supreme Court stay on providing reservations to OBC students in premier educational institutions should be cleared by making constitutional provision through a joint session of Parliament, if needed.

The steel and fertiliser minister told reporters here that the Centre had already sanctioned increase in number of seats at the premier institutes, including IIMs, and there was no reason to delay the reservation facilities for OBC students in these institutions.

''If reservation facilities for Other Backward Classes could be given in government services on the basis of the 1931 caste census, it is totally irrational to deny it in educational institutions on basis of the same yardstick,'' he argued.

He favoured reservation for all OBC students, including the creamy layer, as those aspiring to get admission in IIMs and IITs mostly belong to the middle and upper strata of the society.

He said there would be tension and frustration among the OBC students if the reservation facility for them was further delayed.

''It will be an embarrassing situation if the Supreme Court lifts its stay on reservation after the beginning of the admission dates as the OBC students will lose a precious year,'' he said.

Mr Paswan demanded conducting the Indian Judicial Services examination by the UPSC on the pattern of Indian Administrative Service for appointment of judges in various courts of the country.

To a question he said the Centre had decided to reopen the closed fertiliser industries of Barauni. He said it would take more than a year for beginning production in Barauni fertiliser industries as it would now be 'gas based'. He said the petroleum ministry had agreed to provide natural gas for this purpose and laying of pipes would take at least one year.

Mr Paswan said the National Institute of Pharmaceuticals would be opened at Hajipur and process of acquisition of land was on.

Referring to the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, he said it could go the Bihar way when President's rule had to be imposed after no party or alliance was able to form a government after the elections in February 2005.

Asked about the reported justification of imposition of Emergency by Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, he said it could not be defended in India and any other country as it was against the democratic aspirations of the people.

UNI

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