10% quota move will backfire; 'bahujans' feeling duped: Tejashwi
(Sourced from PTI)
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav today launched a fresh attack on Bharatiya Janata Party over the reservation bill and said 10% quota to general category poor will "backfire" on the BJP as the "bahujans" (majority) are feeling duped now. Yadav slammed the government's move as hasty and said that like demonetization it was implemented hurriedly. Reservation was not a poverty alleviation program, he added.
SC/ST एक्ट की तरह यहाँ भी सरकार ने धोखा दिया।HRD मंत्री अध्यादेश लाने की बात कर पलट चुके है।सवर्ण आरक्षण चंद घंटों में लाने वाले बहुजनों के साथ धोखाधड़ी कर रहे है। उच्च शिक्षा के दरवाजे अब बहुसंख्यक बहुजन आबादी के लिए बंद हो चुके हैं। विभागवार आरक्षण बंद कर पुराना नियम लागू करो।
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) January 23, 2019
The Modi government met a key demand of those castes, which had so far not been covered under reservation benefits, earlier this month as it got a Constitution amendment bill passed in Parliament to give 10% quota in education and jobs for general category poor.
Slamming the move, Yadav said, the government has amended the Constitution without any report from any commission or social and economic survey. "To make such a provision, the government must have supporting data and figures, but the Modi government doesn't have that," he said. Yadav added the government implemented the reservation in a hurry. "The BJP will bear the consequences of it," he said.
When asked if the government's move to give reservation to the general category poor will have an impact on the Lok Sabha polls, Yadav said contrary to the general perception, the reservation for the "so-called poor upper caste" persons will "backfire" on the BJP.
"The Bahujan class is feeling duped...While it was stated that there is a cap of 50% on reservations, but, suddenly the government opens a pandora's box and exceeds reservations beyond 50%, that too without any demand, agitation or movement by beneficiary classes," the former Bihar deputy chief minister said. "Now, the honorable Supreme Court will have to play by its own yardstick," he said.
'Bahujans', a reference to communities seen as traditionally backward and poor, were denied further reservation in the name of this 50% limit, Yadav said. Reservation is for ensuring representation to those who have been suffering for ages due to various inhuman atrocities and restrictions in the name of caste, he said, asking then why the remedial measures are in the name of economic status.
The RJD leader alleged the government was changing the narrative from caste-based atrocities to economic status to suit its "upper caste mindset". "On what basis did the government give 10% reservation to those who are already enjoying de facto 50% reservation and in reality much more than that. And what about the caste-based census data? Why it's being hidden by the government?" he asked.
