Quota: No to creamy layer worries UPABS Reporter / New Delhi April 10, 2008After its initial euphoria over the Supreme Court judgement upholding quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in central government educational institutions, the Congress has now begun preparing itself for a reality check in the from of unhappy allies. According to top sources in the party, the exclusion of 'creamy layer' from the reservation in educational institutes has become a political concern for the party. Top Congress sources are worried about how to appease the allies who are vehemently against the exclusion of 'creamy layer' from the education quota.External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Business Standard, "We have to see the details of the judgment. We need to talk to the allies as well. However, we need to keep in mind that Supreme Court is the final institution to interpret the law of the land. We can't challenge its decision."The problem for the Congress is that almost all its allies are in favour of inclusion of creamy layer in reservation benefits. The UPA allies like K Karunanidhi's DMK, Lalu Prasad's RJD, Ramvilas Paswan's LJP were all along pressurising the government not to give up on this issue while the matter was debated on the court. According to a top Congress leader, while the Congress itself was not averse to the idea of excluding the creamy layer from reservation in education, it was the allies who prompted the government to plead for reservation for creamy layer as well.A senior Congress leader told Business Standard, "overall the judgement is a welcome relief for our party. But our concern is with the apex court's reiteration of the creamy layer issue. In a coalition, we have to keep in mind the interest of allies. The Congress' own interest can't be a dominant factor now."Significantly, the CPI(M) has welcomed the exclusion of the creamy layer from under the purview of the reservations. Party MP Sitaram Yechury said that the exclusion of the creamy layer was consistent with the party
