The opposition parties in Rajya Sabha today forced brief adjournment in protest against the government’s alleged move to disband the OBC Commission.
The government, however, vehemently denied the charge.
“Since the time of Jan Sangh, we have been a supporter of reservation to these communities and will continue to be a supporter,” Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot said.
Gehlot clarified that the government has taken a decision to give constitutional status to the commission for other backward classes (OBC) and it will get the same rights as Commission for SC and STs.
He also reminded the members that Prime Minister Narenda Modi has repeatedly said that the constitutional position of reservation of SCs, STs and OBCs will continue.
Earlier when the House assembled, Ramgopal Yadav (SP) said the National Commission for Backward Classes, created in response to a Supreme Court ruling in 1992, has been disbanded instead of giving it the promised constitutional status.
This Commission is to be replaced by a National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NSEBC) and part of a larger “conspiracy” to do away with reservation to dalits, Yadav alleged.
The new commission will examine and recommend requests for inclusion and exclusion in the list of other backward classes (OBCs).
Without naming the RSS, he alleged that the move was guided by the philosophy of the ruling party’s “fountain head” that reservation should end. “Backward classes feel cheated.” He alleged that backward communities like Yadavs, Kurmis, Lodhas and Kushwaha, who have made some social progress, were being removed from the OBC list.
His assertion found support in rival BSP, as well as the Congress whose members too vehmently opposed move to disband the OBC Commission.
Rejecting the Minister’s statement, Yadav said the OBC Commission has been disbanded and it is a conspiracy to end reservation.
Soon thereafter, his party colleagues rushed into the Well raising slogans against the government. They found support in the BSP and Congress too.
(With PTI inputs)
