The government has amended the Constitution without any report from any commission or social and economic survey, said Tejashwi.
The
move of granting 10 per cent quota to general category poor will
"backfire" on the BJP as the "bahujans"
(majority) are feeling duped, RJD leader Tejashwi
Yadav has said.
The
Modi government met a key demand of those castes, which had so far
not been covered under reservation benefits, earlier this month as it
got a Constitution amendment bill passed in Parliament to give 10 per
cent quota in education and jobs for the general category poor.
Yadav
slammed the government's move as hasty and said that like
demonetisation it was implemented hurriedly. Reservation was not a
poverty alleviation programme, he added.
The
government has amended the Constitution without any report from any
commission or social and economic survey, he told PTI.
"To
make such a provision, the government must have supporting data and
figures, but the Modi government doesn't have that. They implemented
it in a hurry, just like demonetisation. The BJP
will bear the consequences of it," the Rashtriya Janata Dal
(RJD) leader said.
Asked
if the government's move to give reservation to the general category
poor will have an impact on the Lok Sabha polls, Yadav said contrary
to the general perception, the reservation for the "so-called
poor upper caste" persons will "backfire" on the
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
"The
Bahujan class is feeling duped... While it was stated that there is a
cap of 50 per cent on reservations, but, suddenly the government
opens a pandora's box and exceeds reservations beyond 50 per cent,
that too without any demand, agitation or movement by beneficiary
classes," the former Bihar deputy chief minister said.
"Now,
the honourable Supreme Court will have to play by its own yardstick,"
he said.
'Bahujans',
a reference to communities seen as traditionally backward and poor,
were denied further reservation in the name of this 50 per cent
limit, Yadav said.
Reservation
is for ensuring representation to those who have been suffering for
ages due to all kinds of inhuman atrocities and restrictions in the
name of caste, he said.
"If
atrocities were heaped in the name of caste, how can assertive steps
or remedial measures be in the name of economic status," Yadav
asked.
The
RJD leader alleged the government was changing the narrative from
caste-based atrocities to economic status to suit its "upper
caste mindset".
"On
what basis did the government give 10 per cent reservation to those
who are already enjoying de facto 50 per cent reservation and in
reality much more than that. And what about the caste-based census
data? Why it is being hidden by the government? Is it banana republic
or a democracy" he asked.
