Bhopal, Aug 21 BJP MP and former Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste on Wednesday slammed the Congress, accusing it of playing politics over Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes reservation.
Amid a nationwide strike call (Bharat Bandh) given by the Aarakshan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (ABSS) on Wednesday to protest against the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Kulaste told media persons in Bhopal that he was among 70 Members of Parliament (MPs) who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and handed over a memorandum to him on the issue.
"During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi had assured that no creamy layer applies to the SC\ST quota. The Union Cabinet had also approved this proposal," Kulaste said.
On the Supreme Court's verdict, he claimed that "four judges of the Supreme Court have made their observations, which should not be taken as the court's judgment".
"We cannot comment on judges' observation, but, it is not the SC's judgment on SC\ST reservation," Kulaste added.
He further said, "Politics is being played in the name of SC/ST as the opposition has nothing to do."
"Congress has always played politics over SC/ST reservation. We should not forget that during the Congress regime in 1994-95, an attempt was made to end the reservation for SC/ST. And then, the BJP under the leadership of (ex-PM) Atal Bihari Vajpayee had opposed it in the Parliament," he said.
With the ruling, the Supreme Court has allowed state governments to sub-classify SCs and STs and potentially establish separate quotas for those considered more disadvantaged groups.
The National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) has taken an opposing view to a recent Supreme Court judgement by a seven-judge bench that undermines the earlier ruling of a nine-judge bench in the landmark Indira Sawhney case, which established the framework for reservations in India.
Several political parties, including Congress and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), have extended their support to the Bharat Bandh.
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