Caste politics played out in the Rajya Sabha on Friday as Samajwadi Party, supported by arch rival BSP, attacked the Modi government for dismantling the existing National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) and replacing it with the National Commission for Social and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSEBC).
Accusing the BJP government of hatching a larger conspiracy to slowly do away with the reservation benefits to backward classes, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav sought to initiate a debate under Rule 267 amid protests by the treasury benches.
"The MPs from backward classes in both the Houses were demanding constitutional status to the NCBC. The government has disbanded it and in its place constituted NCSEBC with constitutional status... This is a big conspiracy... By doing so they want to bring out certain backward communities out of its ambit," said Yadav.
HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and another BJP member Shankarbhai Vegad contested Yadav's allegations saying "it was not the case, it is not the truth".
Yadav, without naming RSS, accused the government of working at the behest of those whose heads have time and again told them to do away with reservation.
"Among backward classes, there are certain communities who have become a little educated, are in service or politics. This is a conspiracy to slowly bring such communities — be it Yadavs, Kurmis, Gurjars, Lodhis, Mauryas or Kushwahas — out of the backward classes in a phased manner. I'll urge upon members not to pass this bill when it comes for amendments in the Rajya Sabha," Yadav said.
Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly said that the constitutional position of reservation of SCs, STs and OBCs will continue.
"Since the time of Jan Sangh, we have been a supporter of reservation to these communities and will continue to be a supporter," he said.
The government, Gehlot said, has taken a decision to give constitutional status to the commission for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and it will get the same rights as Commission for SC and STs.
Rejecting the minister's statement, SP members rushed to the well even as deputy chairman PJ Kurien tried to settle the issue saying that minister has given assurance not to ban the commission.
"Your concern is very genuine. I agree. But minister has very categorically replied, there is no reason to protest," said Kurien.
Not yielding to Kurien's request and mocking at the minister's offer that he can read his reply in English if the Opposition has not understood it in Hindi, SP members continued their protests forcing deputy chairman to adjourn the house.
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