Quota Bill to be passed in monsoon session

Political parties favouring reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions on Sunday stepped up their campaign.

Political parties favouring reservation for OBCs in higher educational institutions on Sunday stepped up their campaign and demanded that the enabling legislation for implementation of the quota be passed in the coming monsoon session of Parliament.

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At a seminar organised by the Pattali Makkal Katchi of Tamil Nadu, representatives of various parties also sought introduction of reservation in the private sector, media and judiciary along with higher education from the year 2007.

"Talking of increasing seats and infrastructure in the educational institutions is only a ploy to postpone the implementation of reservation. The legislation should be brought in the monsoon session of Parliament itself," PMK founder president S Ramadoss said.

Arguing against the implementation of the quotas in phases, former Prime Minister VP Singh said, "It has to be done in one stroke. There should be no instalments.

"Even if there is a need of increasing the number of seats, it should be done from the next year itself," he added.

Singh favoured a country-wide referendum on reservations. "Let the issue be settled once and for all."

Claiming that globalisation has benefited only five per cent of the country's population, JD(U) President Sharad Yadav said, "The private organisations take all benefits and subsidies from the government, so they should also implement the government policy."