Union minister for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale has welcomed the Narendra Modi-led government’s move to clear a 10% quota in jobs and educational institutions for the economically weaker sections among the upper castes.
Terming it as a masterstroke, he said other parties should not oppose the bill when it is presented in Parliament tomorrow, the last day of the Winter Session of Parliament.
“It is a masterstroke, but many strokes are still pending. Modi is a strong batsman there will be many sixes and fours,” Athawale said after the Union Cabinet cleared the proposal on reservation. (Follow live updates here)
Athawale, who is also the president of the Republican Party of India, has been demanding reservation for the economically weaker sections among the so-called upper caste.
The decision of the BJP government at the Centre comes months before the country heads into general elections with the tenure of the Modi government ending in a few months.
The move is being seen as something that will help the BJP deal with reservation demands from communities that had for long been demanding to be counted as other backward classes or OBCs that have 27% quota for government jobs and admissions to educational institutions.
{{/usCountry}}The move is being seen as something that will help the BJP deal with reservation demands from communities that had for long been demanding to be counted as other backward classes or OBCs that have 27% quota for government jobs and admissions to educational institutions.
{{/usCountry}}Today’s move will also help the BJP consolidate its votebank among the upper caste sections.