Uproar in RS over SC, ST, OBC quota in govt jobs

The issue of SC, ST and OBC quota in government jobs today led to uproar in Rajya Sabha with BSP supremo Mayawati contending that several states have already implemented the Supreme Court order that had struck down reservations for them last year.

Despite Law Minister Kapil Sibal's assurances that the policy on reservation in government jobs is in force in the states and that the government has already moved a review petition, Mayawati remained defiant and insisted on the Prime Minister's intervention.

"The Supreme Court's order on striking down the reservation has been discussed both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. But several states have already implemented the order. I demand the Prime Minister's intervention," she said, raising the issue during the Zero Hour.

She was joined by her party MPs who demanded early passage of a constitutional amendment which has been passed by Rajya Sabha but is pending in Lok Sabha.

Amid the din, the House was adjourned for 10 minutes.

When the House reassembled, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the government had introduced the Constitutional Amendment Bill to circumvent the Court's verdict realising the "seriousness" of the issue.

He said the Bill could not be passed in Lok Sabha as a "consensus could not be reached there".

S C Mishra (BSP) was not convinced with the Minister's reply and said had the intention of the government been clear, it would have been brought the Bill in Lok Sabha long back.

"It has been more than four weeks (of Parliament). Congress is doing politics on it," he said.

Dismissing his allegations, Kamal Nath said, "We are not doing any politics on it. If Congress did not intend, it would not have brought it...It is our intention, our desire and our goal that the Bill be passed," he said.