Cong makes effort to break ice over women quota Bill

Panel says let states decide on the OBC sub-quota.

In an effort to retrieve the Women’s Reservation Bill from the logjam in which it finds itself due to opposition by several United Progressive Alliance (UPA) allies, the Congress has suggested that the issue of reservation for other backward classes (OBCs) within the women’s quota be left to the states.

The party hopes this will ensure that the Bill is passed in the monsoon session of Parliament.

After hearing the demands of various political parties, the Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law & Justice, headed by Congress’s EM Sudarsana Natchiappan, will meet on August 11 to finalise its recommendations.

“We will explore the possibility of allowing the states to decide on the OBC quota. Different states have different OBC populations. There is no census on OBCs, so the states can be left to decide the level of OBC quota suitable for them,” Natchiappan told Business Standard.

Natchiappan cites the case of Tamil Nadu, his home state, to drive home the point. “Tamil Nadu has various sets of reservations, adding up to 69 per cent. In Tamil Nadu, the OBC population is not very high and so political parties there don’t feel the need to comply with any new national quota for OBCs.”

During discussions with the political parties, three main points of views have emerged. While a majority of the political parties want the Bill in its present form with 33 per cent quota for SCs and STs without any reservation for OBCs, four parties want a sub-quota for OBCs.

“The Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Janata Dal (United) and Tamil Nadu’s PMK want a separate quota within the 33 per cent reservation for OBCs and minorities. Two parties, the AIADMK and the BSP, favour a separate bloc for OBCs but not as a percentage of the SC/ST quota but as a percentage of the strength of the House. This will lead to 44 per cent reservation,” says Natchiappan.

As new equations have emerged in the ruling UPA coalition, the Congress now needs to appease not only Lalu Prasad’s RJD but also Mulayam Singh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party. While both the leaders are opposed to the Bill in its present form, the Congress has no option but to look for some changes.

Reflecting the mood of his party, Natchiappan told Business Standard: “I want to evolve a consensus on the recommendations of my committee’s report. I can always give a set of recommendations of the majority and enclose the dissent notes from other parties. But that won’t serve any purpose. After all, our aim is to see the Bill get passed.”