Congress to evaluation its stand after initially supporting EWA reservations

After welcoming the Supreme Court’s verdict in favor of 10 % reservations for the Economic Weaker Sections among the many basic class, the Congress occasion indicated on Saturday that it’ll rethink its stance. This U-turn by the occasion got here after sturdy objections from leaders from southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu.

On Monday, seventh November 2022, the Congress occasion welcomed the Supreme Court’s judgment. Not solely this, the occasion tried to take credit score for the ten % EWS reservations for the higher castes. Congress basic secretary Jairam Ramesh mentioned, “The 103rd constitutional amendment providing a 10 percent EWS quota was the result of a process initiated by the Manmohan Singh government in 2005-2006 with the appointment of the Sinha commission that submitted its reports in July 2010. Thereafter, widespread consultations were held and the Bill was ready by 2014. It took the Modi sarkar five years to get the Bill enacted.”

Jairam Ramesh added, “It also bears mention here that the Socio-Economic and Caste Census was completed by 2012 when I myself was the Union Rural Development Minister. The Modi Sarkar has yet to clarify its position on an updated Caste Census, something that the Congress party supports and demands.”

Later on Saturday, twelfth November 2022, Jairam Ramesh gave one other assertion signaling the occasion’s determination to evaluation its stand on the judgment. He identified that whereas three judges had declared that SCs, STs, and OBCs could also be excluded from the EWS group and had supplied varied justifications for every of their opinions, two justices had come on the contrary conclusion that their removing from the EWS class was unconstitutional.

This U-turn within the occasion’s place concerning the higher castes getting reservations on an financial foundation has come a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Okay Stalin held an all-party assembly to reject the 103rd constitutional modification. It is notable that the Congress occasion was additionally part of that assembly. Not solely this, Congress leaders P. Chidambaram and his son and MP Karti Chidambaram are additionally not in help of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

In addition, Jairam Ramesh’s feedback had been at odds with the occasion’s guarantees made in its Lok Sabha election manifestos in 2009 and 2014 to supply reservations for the EWS class for all teams with out impacting the already-existing reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs. According to studies, many different leaders within the occasion had been additionally sad with the eagerness proven to welcome the Supreme Court’s determination with out contemplating its political penalties. Congress chief Udit Raj had even referred to as the Supreme Court casteist.

सुप्रीम कोर्ट जातिवादी है, अब भी कोई शक! EWS आरक्षण की बात आई तो कैसे पलटी मारी कि 50% की सीमा संवैधानिक बाध्यता नही है लेकिन जब भी SC/ST/OBC को आरक्षण देने की बात आती थी तो इंदिरा साहनी मामले में लगी 50% की सीमा का हवाला दिया जाता रहा।

— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) November 7, 2022

Besides, P Chidambaram and Abhishek Manu Sanghvi had been involved concerning the authorized side of the choice. P Chidambaram mentioned, “The powerful dissent of the two Honourable judges underlined the truth that the basic structure of the Indian Constitution did not permit exclusion. There are poor among all castes and communities. The moot question is will the poor be treated equally under the Constitution?”

He added, “We live in times that require a wise and compassionate understanding of the basic structure of the Constitution. I am sure the Supreme Court will be petitioned to revisit the issue on which the Honourable judges were divided.”