Congress gives privilege notice against union minister Gehlot

The Congress on Tuesday gave a breach of privilege notice against Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot over his statement in the Lok Sabha a day earlier regarding the government's stance on Supreme Court decision on quotas.

The matter was raised in the zero hour by Congress members Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Gaurav Gogoi.

Chowdhury alleged that the statement was 'wrong' and the minister had 'mislead' the House. Gogoi said they had given the breach of privilege notice against the minister.

"We have moved a notice of privilege against Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment for completely misleading the Parliament about the Supreme Court judgment which came on February 10," Gogoi said.

He said the judgment was misquoted and said the special leave petition in the case was moved by Uttarakhand government.

Speaker Om Birla said he has received the notice and the matter was under his consideration.

Gehlot had on Monday told the Lok Sabha that the Supreme Court verdict about states not being bound to provide reservation in appointments came in the wake of the decision of Congress government in Uttarakhand in 2012 and the Union government will take appropriate decision in the matter after high-level consideration.

"I want to make it clear that in this matter, neither was the Government of India was made a party nor an affidavit sought," he had said.

The minister had noted that the petition was filed due to the decision of the Uttarakhand government taken in September 2012 about not implementing reservations in promotions.

"It will be appropriate to mention here that there was a Congress government in Uttarakhand in 2012. Our government is committed to implementing measures for the welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. After considering it a high level, the Government of India will take appropriate steps," he had said.

The Supreme Court had on Friday said that reservation in promotions for government jobs is not a fundamental right. The top court also said the States cannot be directed to provide promotions to the members of the SC/ST community.

The Supreme Court also ruled that states cannot be directed to provide promotions to the members of the SC/ST community.

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