BJP, RJD clash over quota ruling by Patna HC, both vow to move Supreme Court

Tejashwi Yadav, who was deputy CM when the law was introduced, accused the BJP of trying to scuttle the caste survey, which formed the basis of the quota hike.

Bihar deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary on Thursday said that the state government will approach the Supreme Court against the Patna High Court's decision to strike down the increase in reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and backward classes from 50% to 65%.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. (Photo by Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

Choudhary, who is also the state BJP president, asserted his party was “fully in support” of reservations and the state government will move the Supreme Court “after due consultations with legal experts”.

“It was with the BJP's full support that the Nitish Kumar government ordered the caste survey and raised quotas for Dalits, tribals and backward classes,” said Choudhary.

“Therefore, the Bihar government will go to the Supreme Court and will give justice to the people of Bihar.”

Read: Setback to Nitish Kumar as Patna HC scraps Bihar govt's quota hike to 65% in jobs, education

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who was Nitish Kumar's deputy under the Mahagathbandhan government when the law was notified, expressed his dismay over the court's ruling and trained guns at the BJP, which is now an ally of JD(U).

"I am aghast at the judgement. The BJP had been trying to scuttle the caste survey, which provided the basis of hiked quotas. It is no surprise that such a verdict has come within days of the party's return to power at the Centre," Tejashwi Yadav said.

Tejashwi said he would be writing to the chief minister on the issue.

“As far as legal remedy is concerned, the RJD will move the Supreme Court against the high court order if the state government fails to rise to the occasion,” he added.

Reacting to Tejashwi's remarks, Samrat Choudhary said, "His (Tejashwi Yadav) father did not give reservation to a single person, Lalu Prasad Yadav means anti-reservation, he was supporter of crime and he was epitome of hooliganism"

Earlier in the day, the Congress asked will the Nitish Kumar dispensation immediately appeal in the Supreme Court and will the NDA-led Centre put its full weight behind it.

"The High Court held that this breached the 50 per cent ceiling set by the Supreme Court. Will the Bihar government now go in for an immediate appeal to the Supreme Court? Will the NDA government at the Centre put its full and serious weight behind the appeal?" Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.