The BJP on Monday supported reservation in higher educational institutions even as it asked the UPA to ensure that merit was not squeezed.
NEW DELHI: Following the meeting of its national executive on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party voiced its official stance on the reservation issue. In his maiden presidential address at the conclave, BJP president Rajnath Singh declared that his party is not opposed to the OBC quota, but its support comes with riders.
Speaking a day after LK Advani proposed the setting up of a committee to examine the impact of reservations and looking for alternative modes of affirmative action, Singh said that the creamy layer among quota beneficiaries should definitely be excluded.
To ensure that the benefits of reservation reach the most deprived among the socially weaker sections, the creamy layer must be clearly defined. In addition, to ensure that there is no divisiveness, the economically weak amongst the upper castes must also be given the benefits of reservation.
A third rider is that in the implementation of these quotas, the space for merit students must not be reduced, nor should the quality of institutions like the IITs, IIMs and AIIMS be compromised. A fourth condition is that minority institutions, which have been kept out of the quota purview, should be brought under its ambit. Finally, there must be no reservation on a religious basis.
The BJP has the largest number of OBC, SC and ST members in Parliament. While its support for the quota may ensure its political fortunes are not upset by the numerically-strong OBC community, the party has taken a risk by demanding the exclusion of the creamy layer.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi, when asked to react to the BJP president’s statement, said: “Creamy layer cut-off is already an option under consideration, but no final decision has been taken. The BJP should make concrete, official, written suggestions, rather than trying to score political points.”
Meanwhile, the BJP conclave will also see Advani stepping into former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s shoes. He will be making the ‘Margdarshan’ (valedictory) speech that used to be Vajpayee’s domain till the party’s last conclave in Mumbai, where he announced his resignation from politics. This time, Vajpayee will only give his “blessing” at the end of the two-day meet.
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