PATNA: Chief minister
Nitish Kumar has said no one on this earth has the powers to “snatch” the reservation facility from scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes.
Addressing an industries department’s function after launching a state government entrepreneurship scheme for SCs and STs in Patna on Saturday, Nitish said he would always be ready to make whatever sacrifices were required to protect the reservation for the disadvantaged classes.
“Whatever rights have been provided to the SCs and STs by statutory provisions, I can assure you that no one can snatch these rights. No one on this earth has powers to snatch these provisions,” Nitish said amid applause from the audience mainly comprising the SC, ST beneficiaries of the scheme.
Referring to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, the CM said the Supreme Court had issued certain directives, but now the Centre had decided to restore the original provisions of the Act.
The apex court, in a March 20 ruling, had barred immediate arrests in cases registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, leading to nationwide protest by dalit organisations. The Centre recently decided to introduce a Bill to restore the original provisions of the Act.
Taking a dig at his rivals, the JD (U) national president said he never indulged in negative discussions. “Whosoever has a habit of doing negative talks... let them do that. My work progresses in positive direction,” he said.
Earlier in November 2017, Nitish Kumar had favoured reservation for backward classes in private sector jobs. He had also defended his government’s decision to extend provisions of reservation in outsourced services.
