A day after the Supreme Court endorsed the Center’s 10% quota for the EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) in employment and education, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanded a nationwide caste census, and MK Stalin’s party announced that the government of Tamil Nadu would sue to overturn the ruling.
The Supreme Court ruled that the quota is not discriminatory and does not change the constitution’s fundamental principles. As a result of losing three crucial northern states in the 2019 general election, the ruling BJP at the Centre announced the quota soon before the poll.
MK Stalin’s party DMK will file a review petition in the Supreme Court. “The verdict hits at the heart of equality enshrined in the constitution,” said the party, stating that the quota is “against social justice and equality” and a setback for the century-old struggle for social justice.
Mr. Stalin also requested that all parties gather on Saturday to discuss the best course of action.
Nitish Kumar said the 50 per cent cap on reservations in the country should be removed.
“What the Supreme Court ruled was fair enough. We were always in support of the quota. But it is high time that the limit of 50 per cent is raised. The cap is depriving OBCs (Other Backward Classes) and EBCs (Extremely Backward Classes) of opportunities in proportion to their population,” said Mr Kumar, an OBC leader who gained national attention during the controversy surrounding the Mandal Commission’s recommendations for quotas for the lower castes.
Adding that he had also brought up the necessity for a caste census with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, he advocated for a new estimate of the population of various social groupings.
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The Congress party has backed the Supreme Court decision.
“We welcome it. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should get reservations on the basis of their population. The backward classes should get reservations according to the Mandal commission. We are in favour the court’s decision,” said Bhupesh Baghel, the Chief Minister of Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh.
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