Author: Pioneer News Service
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: December 15, 2005
Amendment Bill on SC/ST quota in education
held up ---- Serious objections from the BJP-led Opposition and a near revolt
by the OBC MPs across party lines on Wednesday forced the Government to defer
the introduction of the Constitutional Amendment Bill providing reservation
for SC, ST candidates in private educational institutions.
Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh who was to
pilot the bill on Wednesday as per the Lok Sabha's list of business for the
day, informed the Speaker that the Bill would now be introduced later, after
discussion with the BJP and others who opposed its present format.
That the Bill would run into roadblocks had
become clear on Tuesday itself when BJP Parliamentary Party decided to oppose
the exemption of minority-run educational institutions from its ambit.
Adding to the Government's woes, the Parliamentary
Forum for OBC MPs threw a spanner in the Government's game plan by insisting
that the Bill should provide reservations for OBCs in addition to the SC/ST
groups.
An emergent meeting of the forum that was
attended by MPs representing UPA partners Congress, RJD and LJP as well as
supporting Samajwadi Party decided to oppose the Bill in its present format.
Further compounding the UPA Government's dilemma,
the Left parties also appeared to join the BJP on the issue of exempting minority-run
institutions from the purview of the Bill.
Expressing the Left's reservations on the
issue, CPI(M) leaders Nilotpal Basu and Basudeb Acharya said that though Article
30 of the Constitution provided right to establish minority institutions,
the emerging reality of large number of non-minority students taking admission
in such colleges and universities "cannot be glossed over".
BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj made it clear
that her party was not against reservations for Dalits and other deprived
sections. "We want reservations for these sections to be ensured in all
the private educational institutions, whether run by the minority or the majority,"
she said.
The developments have not only demolished
Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh's claim of having evolved "a political
consensus" on the issue but also put a big question mark over the fate
of the Bill that requires two-third majority in Lok Sabha for its passage.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan
Dasmunshi, however, expressed confidence that the Bill would be introduced
and passed next week after the Cabinet clears the minor changes necessitated
by reservations expressed by some quarters "at the last minute."
The Parliamentary Forum for OBC MPs, which
has over 60 members cutting across party lines had two meetings with the Human
Resource Minister since Tuesday to advocate their case. These MPs wanted to
know if the term "socially and educationally backward" in the Constitution
will take care of the OBCs.
HRD Minister Arjun Singh promptly consulted
the Solicitor General and the Law Ministry to explore if certain expressions
needed to be added in the Bill to satisfy the OBC MPs. But on the BJP's objection,
the Government's stand is ambiguous, with both Congress spokesperson and the
Parliamentary Affairs Minister said constitutional guarantee to the minorities
have to be kept in mind.
Mr Dasmunshi said Mr Arjun Singh was in touch
with all the parties and the Government hoped to resolve the differences by
Thursday evening, before the amended draft was put up before the Cabinet.
Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma went a
step ahead, arguing that all these aspects could be debated on the floor of
the House and the Government can respond to the sentiments of the members
while passing the Bill.
But the Congress didn't appear to be keen
on confronting the BJP for what the Left has described as turnaround, saying
the Government would like to take everybody on board for this important move.
When Mr Sharma was repeatedly grilled, he only said the obtrusive politics
was part of BJP's parliamentary strategy.
Sources say the Government didn't have a closed
mind on the minority institutions and the Cabinet will certainly consider
the option of giving reservation to SC and OBCs from within the minority communities
in the proposed quota.
In fact, by giving some concessions to the
OBCs, the Government is sending a signal to the Opposition that it responded
sensitively to the objections expressed even in the last minute and even digested
the embarrassment of taking the Bill to the Cabinet again.
While the Government feels the Constitution
amendment Bill would come up finally in the next week, the other subjects
on the agenda include Children's Protection Rights Commission Bill and the
Andhra Pradesh Council Bill.
In Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister will give
clarifications on his statement on Volcker issue. The Lok Pal Bill, which
is still with the Group of Ministers, is not coming up in the current session.
