Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Congress on Saturday said it will move the Supreme Court against the Madhya Pradesh High Court order that struck down 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes in the state.
The party said the BJP government had failed to defend the policy properly and had not placed adequate data before the court. The High Court on Friday struck down the 2019 law that had raised OBC reservation from 14 per cent to 27 per cent, holding it unconstitutional and against the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation laid down by the Supreme Court. The court said there were no extraordinary circumstances to justify the increase.
advertisement
Addressing a joint press conference, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar criticised the state government over the outcome.
“The Congress will continue its legal and democratic struggle for 27 per cent reservation for OBCs. The party will hold a meeting to decide its future strategy and launch an awareness campaign. The Congress will seek the assistance of senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha, besides other legal experts, to challenge the HC verdict,” Patwari said.
Patwari said the BJP government had spent heavily on legal proceedings but still failed to secure a favourable outcome for the OBC community. He sought an explanation on what he called the government’s ineffective representation in court.
Singhar accused the BJP government of failing to protect OBC rights. Referring to the High Court’s 159-page order, he questioned the use of old data and the adequacy of a survey of 10,000 people to assess the social conditions of a state with a population of around 7.26 crore.
“Why did the BJP government fail to effectively present its case despite spending resources on collecting and analysing data. There should be a clear response from Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. The BJP has failed to protect the rights of the OBC community despite seeking its support,” Singhar claimed.
Patwari said the Congress remained committed to implementing 27 per cent OBC reservation if it forms the government in Madhya Pradesh after the 2028 Assembly polls. He also urged OBC leaders to unite and put pressure on the government over the issue.
The Congress leaders said the Mohan Yadav government must make public a concrete action plan to secure the 27 per cent quota for OBCs. The BJP, meanwhile, has been claiming that the Kamal Nath-led Congress government had prepared the 2019 documents in haste and without verifying the facts. With the Congress now planning a legal challenge in the Supreme Court, the row over OBC reservation in Madhya Pradesh has moved into its next phase.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
