New Delhi: A huge row erupted in parliament on Monday over a politically explosive Supreme Court order that reservations for promotions in government jobs is not a fundamental right, forcing an adjournment of the Lok Sabha.
The ruling BJP and its allies were ranged against the opposition as accusations flew over what politicians across parties called an unfair decision by the top court. While the government denied it had anything to do with the order, the Congress alleged that the BJP and its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were fundamentally against reservations.
Opposition parties called for a review of the Supreme Court order, which said it could not compel states to provide quotas and states could not be forced to make such provisions without data showing imbalance in representation of certain communities in public service.
“This is the Supreme Court’s decision. The government of India has nothing to do with it. The Social Welfare Minister will make a statement. We should wait for it,” said Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Rajnath Singh also lashed out at the Congress for “politicising” the subject, reminding the party that it was in power in 2012 in Uttarakhand when the state decided to fill government posts without quotas to Scheduled Casts and Scheduled Tribes.
