BJP welcomes SC refusal to stay HC ruling on minority subquota

New Delhi, June 11:

today welcomed the

's refusal to stay Andhra Pradesh High Court's quashing the

and charged the Congress-led government's attempt to rake up the "communal agenda" for votebank politics has been defeated.

"Congress has been steadfastly and continuously following the communal agenda. We saw it in Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. In spite of the results in these elections giving the message that voters have rejected the communal agenda, Congress has not learnt its lessons," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

The BJP leader pointed out that Defence Minister AK Antony, who was given the responsibility of submitting a report on the reasons for the poor performance of Congress in UP and other states, had listed minority sub-quota issue as a factor.

The Supreme Court today refused to stay the High Court order quashing 4.5 per cent sub-quota for minorities in central educational institutions like IITs and ticked off the government for the way it has handled the "complex" and "sensitive" issue.

Sitharaman quoted an earlier High Court observation that the Centre had acted in a "casual manner" in the matter and criticised its Office Memorandum which created the sub-quota on religious criteria.

The BJP maintained the need for quota is decided by the Backward Class Commission and the government did not ever go to it for consultations.

"Like a magician, they pulled this (sub-quota) out of their hat. It was not in their manifesto. Such reservation politics has been overwhelmingly rejected by the people," Sitharaman said.

PTI