Owaisi opposes constitutional amendment bill

AIMIM member Asaduddin Owaisi Tuesday opposed the constitutional amendment bill in the Lok Sabha saying the bill is fraud on the constitution.

The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to amend the Constitution by introducing provisions for reservation for economically weaker sections, he said, adding it presently mentions only social and educational backwardness as the criteria for quota.

"I oppose this bill. This is a fraud on the constituion," he said.

He said the constitution does not recognise economic backwardness.

He said: "this exercise is fraud since there is no empirical data and evidence".

"This is a burden on states. May I know from the government that what will happen to Maratha reservation," he asked.

Owaisi also said that the bill could be stuck in the Supreme Court.

Participating in the debate, Union Minister Anupriya Patel said reservation was provided based on population to the OBC category but not in such a manner to SCs and STs.

She said the government has stated that caste based census will be carried out in 2021.

She also asked whether the government would consider reservation in private sector.